Since the Kansas City Chiefs won the “Big Game,” four of the six winners in our “Big Game Squares” contest have already claimed their prizes, including both of our $100 gift card winners — Carrie Frump of Easton Park, who grabbed a gift card to the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, and Meadow Pointe resident Jim Headley (photo), who took a PopStroke gift card.
Also already claiming their prizes are $75 winner John Sousa of Lake Jovita (who also teaches at Cypress Creek High), who is getting a $75 gift card to Bonefish Grill, and Maggie Rich of West Meadows, who is getting a $25 gift certificate to Taste of New York Pizza.
Still to claim their prizes are $75 gift card winner Pamela Smith of Meadow Pointe & $25 gift card winner Daniela Quintana of Heritage Isles.
Thanks to all 195 people who submitted a valid entry form! Better luck next year to those who didn’t win a prize!
The pollo Tapatio (top), ceviche (below right), Elote (Mexican street corn) (below left) and Xango (fried cheesecake) (Bottom right) dessert are all among our editor’s favorites at Señor Tequila in The Shoppes at New Tampa Plaza on BBD Blvd. south of S.R. 56. (All photos by Charmaine George)
If it’s been a while since you first visited Señor Tequila — the Mexican restaurant that took over the former Bonefish Grill space in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza (on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., south of S.R. 56) in May of 2021 — you should probably give it another try.
Wesley Chapel Señor Tequila owner Alvaro Mellado and his family have opened and been operating all five of the restaurant’s locations — the original of which opened in Winter Springs (in the Orlando area) ten years ago, although Mellado also owns the location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood and opened a new one a year ago in Clearwater. Even so, the Wesley Chapel location recently got an impressive menu upgrade that likely will have it moving up in our readers’ rankings in the 2024 Dining Survey.
Every restaurant these days seems to have — and many people love — Mexican street corn (“Elote” in Spanish), but photographer Charmaine George and I really enjoyed Señor Tequila’s new version, which covers corn on the cob sections on skewers with mayo, cotija cheese and queso sauce, cilantro and tajin seasoning.
My favorite new appetizer, however (which should come as a surprise to no one) is the ceviché, which is a new item normally served as a trio of lime-marinated fresh fish, shrimp and octopus, but I had to get mine with fish only, since I’m allergic to the shrimp. Señor Tequila’s version of this favorite adds fresh tomatoes, red onions, avocado and tajin. The fish was tilapia, which isn’t always my favorite, but the flavor was delicate and tangy and the tomatoes and avocadoes were a nice touch, too.
We also sampled the super-tasty pollo Tapatio (Tapatio is the name given to people from Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as a brand of hot sauce). The dish features grilled chicken breast sauteéd with onions, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and poblano peppers and is served with rice and the Mexican bandera salad (guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo) and your choice of tortillas. The chicken was tender and tasty, but not at all spicy, and the sautéed veggies were excellent.
Although I’m still more partial to the sizzling chicken and steak fajitas at Señor Tequila, Wesley Chapel marketing rep (and sometime server and weekend bartender) Dafne Dominguez says that among the most popular dishes are the brochetas — skewered steak, chicken, bacon, onions, and bell peppers that are marinated in a special house sauce with chile guajillo (a sweet type of pepper) and is served with rice. Please note that the brochetas are slow-cooked for 20 minutes and since everything at Señor Tequila is made fresh to order, you will wait for it. Please also take into account that if you prefer your steak medium rare to rare, it is hard have it that way on the same skewers as chicken, which has to be cooked all the way through. But, the flavor was excellent.
Other top sellers at Señor Tequila include the steak Monterrey (skirt steak with a poblano pepper stuffed with shrimp and veggies, topped with creamy habanero pesto sauce), the birria tacos and the monster super burrito with your choice of beef or chicken.
Save room for dessert, because not only does Señor Tequila serve delicious lava chocolate cake and flan, but also the ever-popular fried ice cream (with vanilla ice cream rolled in corn flakes, topped with caramel), as well as mine and Charmaine’s new favorite — the Xango (pronounced “Chang-o”), which is creamy cheesecake wrapped in a pastry tortilla and fried until golden brown, covered with cinnamon and caramel. Decadent!
Señor Tequila’s full, premium liquor bar also is now featuring new bartender-created drinks, including a “True Blue” organic margarita, an Añejo old fashioned, sangritas (house frozen margarita with a sangria floater) and many more. The bar features a huge selection of tequilas and mezcals, from the usual favorites to top shelf and even many rare finds — and Happy Hour is Mon.-Fri., 3 p.m.-5 p.m..
Señor Tequila (1640 BBD Blvd.) is open every day for lunch & dinner and delivery through Doordash is available. For reservations (not required), orders or more info, call (813) 428-5411, visit TheSenorTequila.com.
On the cover of our Feb. 6 New Tampa issue, we told the story of Gabriel Hassan, the Wharton High senior who received his diploma for graduating from the New Tampa high school with a 4.7 GPA on Jan. 22, despite suffering from terminal leukemia.
It was with heavy hearts that we learned yesterday that Gabe had succumbed to his cancer a few days ago and was buried on or the day before Valentine’s Day. We also learned that his specific form of leukemia is called Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, or SDS.
Out of respect to the Hassan family, we didn’t try to contact them, but we did want to at least acknowledge his tragic passing here, as well as post the story we published about him in the paper.
For many years, New Tampa’s annual “Relay For Life” would bounce back and forth between Freedom and Wharton high schools, raising funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. (ACS).
Coming out of Covid, when the event had to be held virtually, organizers have had to consider new ways to make the event exciting and increasingly successful.
Last year, New Tampa joined forces with other areas to host the North Tampa Relay For Life, and this year, North/New Tampa has combined with South Tampa, East Hillsborough, and the Fishhawk/ Bloomingdale area to form one giant event.
Called the “Relay For Life of Greater Tampa Bay,” this year’s event will be held at Raymond James Stadium beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, carrying on throughout the night, and ending at 5 a.m. on Sunday, March 3.
Relay for Life is always a free event to attend, where the community comes together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and fight back against this dreaded disease.
While this year’s Relay will be a large combination of people and events that have previously taken place all over the Tampa Bay area, New Tampa still will be well represented.
“We have 19 schools from North Tampa participating, plus businesses, churches and community partners,” says Tori Millington, one of the event leads.
Tori is a 2017 graduate of Freedom High. She has been participating in Relay For Life since she was just a kid. It was 12 years ago when she first walked alongside her mom, Carol, whose childhood best friend was battling cancer at that time.
“I fell in love with the event,” says Tori. “And more and more people in my life were affected by cancer.”
Unfortunately, Carol’s best friend, Claire, ultimately lost that battle, as did Tori’s grandfather.
Those events — and the influence of Relay For Life — have touched Tori deeply. So much so, in fact, that she is now a medical student at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, studying to be an oncologist.
“We say we Relay for a world with more birthdays,” says Tori. “Right now cancer is a big deal and scary, and holds a lot of meaning. But one day, we’ll live in a world where cancer is in the history books.”
She says money raised from the event not only funds research, but also services for patients, such as transportation to appointments, wigs and makeup, and even hotels for family members while they are undergoing treatment.
“Participating in Relay has made me realize how much work needs to be done and how it takes every dollar we’re raising to help every single person along the way,” says Tori. “They don’t need to worry about treatments while they’re going through them.”
As an undergraduate honors student at UCF, she started doing research to fight cancer in new and innovative ways. In April, she’ll present that research in San Diego, CA, at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.
She explains that her research looks at a molecule that has a high level of cancer cells and identifies the genes that transport it. Hopefully, this could lead to a therapeutic drug that would block the transport system, depleting the cells of that molecule.
“I’m very proud of Tori,” says Carol. “She’s always known that she wanted to be a doctor and she’s followed through and become so involved.”
Carol and Tori (photo, above left) emphasize that the Relay is not a race — it’s more like an all-night party. While some team members do walk the track throughout the event, for the community, it’s a free event with performances, games and food, plus a free dinner for survivors and their caregivers and a ceremony to honor those who have been lost.
Survivors and their caregivers also walk the first lap (top photo), and a luminaria ceremony is held at 9 p.m.
While the Relay will run all night, there are security checks as it gets later into the evening, so it’s recommended that the general public come out to experience all the fun from 3 p.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday.
(L.-r.) Abby, Natalie & A.J. Glass at the 2023 Relay for Life at Freedom High. All photos provided to the Neighborhood News.
One of the many team members who will be out at the event is Freedom High senior A.J. Glass, who is heading up the school’s team sponsored by its Math Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta.
Like Tori, A.J. has been involved with the event for years, first participating when he was just nine years old.
Back then, his aunt Kimberly Gonzalez led a team of participants at Clark Elementary, so he joined her team. Now, Kimberly and A.J.’s mom, Natalie Glass, lead a team at Freedom together, and A.J. is the captain of the team.
“The event itself is so fun and exciting,” says A.J. “It really is a celebration and [the goal is] to fundraise as much as possible. It brings people back year after year. This year, being at RayJay, it will be on a much larger scale and hopefully it will be that much more fun.”
He says that while some high school students only show up because they are looking for service hours, they can’t help but leave with an appreciation for both survivors and caregivers and a better understanding of the ultimate goal of all the fund raising.
Relay For Life of Greater Tampa Bay is free and open to the public. For more information, visit RelayforLife.org/tampabayfl.
Let Realtor® Dee Strom (left) of Florida Executive Realty in Tampa Palms, who lives in New Tampa and specializes in homes in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Land O’Lakes and Odessa, help you buy or sell a home. (Photos provided by Dee Strom)
Dee Strom, a multi-award-winning Realtor® at Florida Executive Realty (FER) in Tampa Palms since 2014, says she transitioned from hospitality management at the suggestion of her husband, Michael. She sought guidance and turned to Debbie Pearson, a friend and seasoned realtor at FER with 25 years of experience, who became her invaluable mentor.
Dee expresses gratitude to Debbie, stating, “I have yet to work with an agent as wonderful and knowledgeable as she is. I am blessed to have learned from the best mentor and company.”
In a unique move, Dee interviewed with FER Broker (Doug Loyd) before obtaining her real estate license and became the first agent he brought on who didn’t yet have a license. A USF business graduate, she initially entered the real estate field as, “a driven individual who saw nothing but success.” Marriage and motherhood followed, transforming Dee into one of the busiest working moms at the company. Dee commends Florida Executive Realty for its family-friendly environment, allowing children in the workplace and enabling moms like her to run successful businesses.
Highlighting her experience and commitment, Dee asserts, “I have been a Realtor for over a decade, selling more than $20 million of real estate annually, placing me in the top 1% of the nation. My real estate business knowledge and experience put me far above most other agents.”
In fact, Dee has been named FER’s “Agent of the year” each of the last three years. She says that building a solid relationship and chemistry with your Realtor is key in the real estate business. Both buyers and sellers should collaborate with a Realtor they genuinely connect with, like and trust. Dee’s work schedule is based on her client’s availability, not the other way around.
“With me, you get me, and it’s a one-stop shop. As a Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LRE) member, I market my listings locally and globally and receive relocation clients who move to our local area. I also assist my clients who move out of state and refer them to a Realtor they can trust in all parts of the world.”
What To Expect…
Let Realtor® Dee Strom help you find the home — and the living room — of your dreams, too.
As for what she expects the local real estate market to be like in 2024, Dee notes that recent interest rate decreases, have improved affordability for prospective buyers. She predicts an uptick in local real estate sales later in the year and a return to more moderate growth in pricing compared with the post-Covid period. Although she covers all of Hillsborough and Pasco counties, Dee says her primary focus is on New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Odessa.
Here is one recent trend Dee has noticed: As new construction continues to grow, younger Millennial buyers are seeking homes featuring wellness amenities like lap pools and gyms, with proximity to healthy restaurants.
She takes pride in offering clients a substantial referral network for lenders, insurance providers and vendors.
“I always say my clients are in good hands, not only with the real estate transaction but everything in preparation before selling or purchasing their home,” Dee says. “For example, packing and moving aren’t easy, so I have them focus on that, and I take care of the rest, literally.”
Devoted to her clients, Dee shares her husband’s favorite anecdote about her:
“Pregnant with my first daughter, Sloane (4), I had my computer in my lap negotiating in the hospital bed. After she was born, as soon as I was released from the hospital, I asked him if it was OK to go show a property, and off I went. As you can see, I am dedicated to my clients….”
Dee uses a restaurant analogy to describe why someone should work with an experienced, well-rounded Realtor for buying and selling. She explains that selecting the right Realtor is like choosing a steakhouse. Going to an average chain restaurant, there’s only about a 50/50 chance your steak will be cooked correctly. One time may be good, while another is an awful experience — both the meal and the customer service.
“But, when you dine at a high-end steakhouse, like Ruth’s Chris,” she says, “the steak is perfect every single time and the customer service is always excellent. We frequent Ruth’s Chris; we have had the same server for over 10 years. Real estate, like dining out, is about developing relationships.”
She adds, “My clients are like family! Without the proper knowledge, experience and resources, many agents out there do not know what should be known. We are working for buyers and sellers completing the largest purchase or sale of their lives.”
Dee is proud that the majority of her business comes from repeat clients and referrals. She highlights a recent review she received out of the blue from a repeat client.
The review said, “You will always be part of our family in the Tampa area, as everyone loves ‘Dee,’ the person and mom. I truly admire your work ethic and professionalism in handling your real estate business while juggling a growing family. You set high standards for others to emulate and follow, but only a select few can accomplish. By now, it should be paying off for you. In the business world, you are very rare… I now call it ‘The Dee Factor’ — a balanced combination of real-estate knowledge, professionalism, elegance, poise, perseverance, hard work, sales techniques, great attitude, well-spoken and charming. And, on top of that, someone who is more interested in the well-being of a satisfied customer than a simple commission check. That’s a major key to success. Well done.”
“This is why my job is so fulfilling,” Dee says. “and I will do it a thousand times over.”
Dee values the connections she makes with her clients, emphasizing her commitment to their lives well beyond the closing. Her overarching goal is to redefine and elevate the real estate profession and eliminate some of the horror stories of low-level representation.
“We, Realtors, can change the public’s perception and reality of what real estate agents and brokers do for their clients to match other highly respected professions,” she says. “One client at a time.”
Dee lives in New Tampa with her husband Michael, a Tampa Police Officer for 20 years, and daughters Sloane and Stella. When not surpassing client expectations, she and her family enjoy swimming and cooking out.
Realtor® Dee Strom is based at Florida Executive Realty’s Tampa Palms office (15802 Amberly Dr.) For more information, visit DStrom.floridaexecutiverealty.com, search “DeeStromRealty” on Facebook, call (813) 525-7851.
