Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. Adds Authentic Carnegie Deli Menu Items!

When I lived in New York City in the early 1980s, the two most iconic Jewish delicatessens in Manhattan were the Stage Deli, which closed for good in 2012, and the Carnegie Deli, which permanently closed its doors at the end of 2016. The two delis, which also were bitter rivals, were located about a block from each other on 7th Ave., near Carnegie Hall, and both were known for their huge, overstuffed sandwiches, weighing in at a pound of meat each.

I thought both famous eateries were gone forever; that is, until Wesley Chapel Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. franchise owner Daniel Kurland told me that all 16 or so of the locations in the Florida-based chain were replacing their existing deli lunch sandwich meats with authentic corned beef and pastrami (and a few other items shown on this page) from the wholesale distributor that has stayed in business since the Carnegie Deli closed.

“Brooklyn Water Bagels even tried to get an exclusive,” Kurland says. “Our corporate entity wanted our stores to be the only places you could get these authentic Carnegie Deli items, including corned beef, pastrami, potato knishes, cheesecake, sour Kosher pickles and even mustard.”

But, Kurland added, “We were told that there were delis and restaurants all over the country, many in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area, where the first Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. locations opened, which already were buying these items from the Carnegie Deli wholesale distributor. They had to be grandfathered into our agreement with Carnegie.”

So, while it’s not the only place in the U.S. where you can sample these items that I loved so much when I lived in Manhattan,   Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. is one of very few places on the west coast of Florida, and is certainly the only place in Wesley Chapel, where you can buy them.

And, because the Carnegie Deli was famous for its 1-lb. sandwiches, Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. today offers the (pictured above) Manhattan Combo sandwich — with 1-lb. total of Carnegie Deli corned beef and pastrami, on authentic Jewish-style rye bread (or your choice of bagel) with Carnegie mustard (which also is available for purchase in a squeeze bottle), or the also-popular 1000 Island dressing. No, there’s no steamer “drawers” keeping the moisture (and heat) in the meats before they are piled into your sandwich, but otherwise, they are very much the same tasty (albeit fairly fatty, yum!) deli meats I remember from New York City. 

There’s also The Manhattan sandwich, which offers 1-lb. of your choice of corned beef or pastrami, as well as the Half-Pounder Deli sandwich, which has just 1/2-lb. of your choice of corned beef or pastrami, for you lightweights. There’s even The Reuben, which features corned beef or pastrami with sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese, with mustard or 1000 Island dressing on toasted rye.

And, considering that a Jewish deli sandwich would never be complete without a Kosher sour pickle, Brooklyn Water Bagel’s Carnegie Deli sandwiches are all served with a matching Carnegie pickle. 

But Wait, There’s More! 

Knish.

Growing up, I was never the biggest fan of potato knishes — which, at most delis, are either square or round single-serving “pies” with a dough crust, stuffed with uniquely seasoned mashed potatoes — but for those of you who crave them, Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. also offers Carnegie Deli’s round (only) knishes, that are very much like the ones we got at our local deli in Woodmere, Long Island. The knishes are especially delish with the Carnegie mustard, too. 

And, you can even finish off your meal with a nice-sized slab of Carnegie Deli cheesecake, which is a creamy, yet dense dessert which is offered with a cherry sauce either poured over it or on the side.

And, don’t forget that Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. also has a delicious roast turkey, bacon and avocado wrap, tuna, egg, chicken and even whitefish salad sandwiches (all of the creamy salad options are available for to-go sale in tubs) and, oh yeah, a huge variety (at least  dozen or more different kinds, from standard plain, sesame and everything to more exotic types, like Black Russian with seeds) kettle-boiled-then-baked fresh bagels and pick-your-own fillings omelettes that are available for breakfast or lunch anytime you visit. The smoked Nova Scotia salmon is authentic, too, and also is available for sale in packages, as are a variety of different types of cream cheese.

And, just in case you’re not a cheesecake fan, Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. has a great variety of other outstanding desserts, most of which (not including the authentic Jewish rugelach pastries) are made in-store, using the franchise’s “Brooklynized” water.

The black & white cookies are the best in the area, the chewy chocolate chip cookies have huge chocolate chunks and the house-baked muffins include blueberry, chocolate chip, apple cinnamon and banana nut. 

And, if you love delicious coffee, Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. has the best hot and cold coffee in town, at least in my opinion. Its Brooklyn Water Coffee Roasters is its in-house micro-roaster, roasting its coffee in small batches (never larger than 90 lbs. at a time), and purchases only beans that are rated 80 points or higher by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (or in the top 3% of coffee in the world). My favorite available-all-year-‘round variety is the Brooklyn Infusion, with Kahlua, caramel and sweet vanilla flavors, but the seasonal Winter Wonderland blend, with white chocolate, caramel and hints of coconut also is amazing, although Kurland says it will be gone by the spring.

Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. (27835 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 101) is open every day, 6 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit BrooklynWaterBagel.com, call (813) 775-2275 or see the ad on pg. 34 of our latest Wesley Chapel issue to receive a free bagel just for stopping by. 

Brunchery Expanding To Wesley Chapel!

Brunchery New Tampa is getting ready to open a second location in Wesley Chapel!

The New Tampa Brunchery was opened at 17507 Preserve Walk Lane (off Bruce B. Downs Blvd) by Alket (Al) Marku and Stanley Athan in 2019. 

In January 2021, Marku took over as the only owner of the New Tampa Brunchery, and has been tremendously successful. He believes he will bring the same success to the Brunchery Wesley Chapel, located at 27607 S.R. 56, in the former location of Wolf’s Den.

Brunchery is known for its delicious breakfast and lunch menu that offers a variety of options, such as Stuffed French Toast, Omelettes & Benedicts, homemade Muffins, Creamy Chicken Salad on a Grilled Raisin Bread, and many other delicious items. It also is well-known for its outstanding service.

Marku, who took us on a hard hat tour of the former Wolf’s Den location that he is completely revamping, says he hopes to be open no later than Mar 14, possibly sooner. Stay tuned for an update next week. 

We are definitely looking forward to the opening of the Wesley Chapel Brunchery.

For more information visit lovebrunchery.com or call the New Tampa location at (813) 533-7271. — GN

PopStroke, Co-Owned By Tiger Woods, Breaks Ground!


The official groundbreaking of the local PopStroke was held Feb. 2. Players of all ages will enjoy PopStroke’s two mini-golf courses. The 10,000-sq.-ft. restaurant will offer a variety of delicious menu items. All PopStroke courses look more like real golf courses than mini-golf.  

Golf legend Tiger Woods may not attended the Feb. 2 groundbreaking of PopStroke, the tech-driven, family-oriented mini-golf and restaurant concept he co-owns, but rest assured, he’ll have a big hand in how it ends up looking.

“Tiger is involved in the whole process,” said Bryon Bell, the president of TGR Design, which is Woods’ golf course design company. “He will look at the holes, see if he thinks his kids would enjoy it and if he would enjoy playing it. If he’s in town, he’ll stop in at the site. He wants to be certain it’s enjoyable for all ages.”

With a few heaves of dirt, the project officially got under way just north and east of the intersection of S.R. 56 and Wesley Chapel Blvd. 

Greg Bartoli, the PopStroke founder and co-owner with Woods, says he expects the Wesley Chapel/Lutz location to open sometime in October.

The local PopStroke will feature two 18-hole courses — one will be harder than the other — featuring synthetic turf greens designed to mimic putting on real golf courses.

There won’t be any windmills, rivers or other obstacles, just rolling, undulated greens designed to challenge golfers of all ages.

“It’s one of the only concepts I know of anywhere in world, really, where you can find a 3-, 8-. 27- and 80-year-old enjoying it to the same extent,” Bartoli said.

Golfers can see their scores displayed on a large scoreboard, and even order drinks, via an app, that will be delivered to them on the course. 

The mini-golf is complemented by a 10,000-sq.-ft. restaurant and kid’s playground. The restaurant, Bartoli says, will feature premium food and drinks, as well as 24 different flavors of ice cream.

“PopStroke is really about being friends and families together across generations and  across socio-economic backgrounds,” Bartoli said. “It’s affordable and it’s accessible, and we take great pleasure in that.”

If you can’t wait until October, Bartoli recommends taking an hour drive to the nearest location in Sarasota, which is opening next month next to the University Town Center mall.

The Sarasota location will be the third PopStroke, joining courses in Port St. Lucie and Fort Myers, and Wesley Chapel will be the fourth. Additional expansion to Orlando, Houston and Scottsdale (AZ) also is planned.

For more information, visit PopStroke.com. — JCC

Overpass Road Reopens!

The I-75/Overpass Rd. interchange (Photo: Florida Department of Transportation)

Overpass Rd. reopened to traffic Monday morning at 9 a.m. as the former bridge over I-75 was removed to make room for a new bridge as part of the $64-million diamond interchange project, which will include a flyover ramp for westbound traffic on Overpass Rd. to enter southbound I-75.

The bridge for westbound Overpass Rd. has been completed, and is being used for both directions of traffic as construction continues. The section of Overpass Rd. between Old Pasco Rd. and Boyette Rd. had been closed since Feb. 8, 2021.

The new diamond interchange is located almost directly between the S.R. 54 and 52 exits (roughly 3.5 miles south of S.R. 52.)

Only one lane is open in each direction, although additional lanes are expected to open sometime later this year or in early 2023. As a result of the new interchange, Overpass Rd. is being widened from two lanes to four lanes between I-75 and Old Pasco Rd, and six lanes between I-75 and Boyette Road. 

Only vehicular traffic is allowed as construction continues to build sidewalks for future pedestrian use.

The diamond interchange including the flyover is expected to be completed sometime in summer 2023.

Samantha Taylor Fitness Helps Women Stick With Their Resolutions

Sara (left) an instructor at the Wesley Chapel Samantha Taylor Fitness studio located just north of S.R. 56, demonstrates an exercise during a recent small group class.

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced gyms to close in March of 2020, it took Samantha Taylor Fitness studios just 48 hours to completely pivot their method of delivery so that clients of the private and small-group training studios could continue their workouts virtually.

“We were doing 13 virtual workouts a week within two days,” says Samantha, the CEO who began her career in the fitness industry nearly 30 years ago and launched her own business more than 20 years ago. Today, there are four Bay-area Samantha Taylor Fitness studios — including Wesley Chapel, Land O’Lakes, Carrollwood and Palm Harbor — that have helped more than 7,700 local women lose 54 tons of lbs.

“I can’t go anywhere in public without people stopping me to say, ‘I know who you are,’” says Samantha, who has made numerous appearances on ABC-TV’s Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend” TV show and hosted her own radio show.

The studios have reopened and clients are given many options to work out safely, both in-person or online. “During this difficult time, one thing you don’t want to do is put your health and fitness on the back burner,” says Samantha. “That’s not going to help you reduce your risk.”

She says that the CDC website lists obesity as one of the highest risk factors for not only contracting Covid-19, but also for having increased complications.

“Everyone’s body responds differently, but you have a better chance of it not affecting you as much if you’re healthier and have balanced blood sugar,” Samantha explains. “Statistically, if you’re healthy, even if you do get Covid-19, you’re more likely to get over it easier.”

Samantha says she understands that some people still may be fearful of going to a gym in person and if so, Samantha Taylor Fitness continues to offer virtual options, including recorded workouts that can be followed at home or virtual workouts with a private trainer via Zoom.

But, she’s quick to point out that a study of 2,873 gyms by the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association) analyzed millions of gym check-ins to determine that only 0.002% of the active gym members studied had contracted Covid-19.

“Some people might think gyms are where Covid-19 is spreading, but it’s not true,” says Samantha, in part because people coming to the gym are often not as high-risk (because high-risk people are choosing to stay home) and have stronger immune systems as a result of being generally healthy.

She encourages anyone concerned about coronavirus transmission to visit her website at SamanthaTaylorFitness.com to see a comprehensive list of how the studios have responded to Covid-19 (including the new Omicron variant) — with protocols such as limited class size, social distancing within classes, and sanitizing equipment between each class.

“Samantha Taylor Fitness centers are private studios,” she explains, “not overcrowded gyms. We have plenty of space to spread out in all four of our studios.”

The Wesley Chapel location has its own standalone building off of S.R. 56, near I-75, in the Cypress Ridge Professional Center. Samantha moved the studio there in 2018 from its former location on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The new studio is bigger, with a larger personal training room, specialty rubber floors, and a private, first-floor entrance.

For Women Only!

All of the Samantha Taylor Fitness studios offer a women-only environment where clients can choose personal training in the form of 1-on-1 private training, group training, semi-private personal training or “fitness boot camp” classes. All workouts last just 30 minutes.

Before choosing  between the programs at Samantha Taylor Fitness, a potential client is invited to participate in a body transformation analysis, where you meet with a membership specialist in person, on the phone or via Zoom, to go over the many options available at the fitness studio. But, it’s not just about working out.

“The only way to make lifelong, lasting changes is to learn how to eat,” explains Samantha. “It’s not about being on a diet or starving yourself, but figuring out how to eat in a way that you really enjoy that is simple and maintainable (for you).”

She says people can diet temporarily, but if they don’t learn to eat in a way that’s realistic and sustainable for them, they won’t stick to it.

She adds that the pandemic has led to many people complaining about weight gain, and it hasn’t slowed.

“The ‘Quarantine 15’ has now turned into the ‘Quarantine 20 or 25,’” says Samantha. “If you don’t start making changes in the new year, that could possibly continue to increase, and you’ve increased your risk factors for Covid-19 even more.”

Samantha Taylor Fitness also has licensed dietitian Shannon Barker on staff, who is available to consult with clients. 

A Supportive Community

At Samantha Taylor Fitness, women also find a supportive community, which Samantha says makes it fun and helps women stay on track. 

Samantha and Lynn Smith

At 81 years old, Lynn Smith is a Realtor who doesn’t yet have an eye towards retirement. She has been working out with Samantha for more than a dozen years. When she first started, she had never exercised in her entire life. “I want to live to be 100,” Lynn says, “so I figured I’d better do something about my health.”

Lynn adds that those early days were extremely hard. “I had no muscle strength,” she admits. And, while she wasn’t obese and didn’t have a lot of weight she needed to lose, she says she lost about 10-12 pounds and has kept the weight off. “Samantha taught me the importance of muscle strength.”

She says now it’s easy, and even fun. 

“I go three times a week, and the trainers challenge us every day,” Lynn says. “I look forward to it. The sessions are nonstop for 30 minutes, which is doable for just about anybody.”

Lynn likes that she works out in a very small group and that it’s for women only. “The trainers are very experienced and compassionate,” she says. “They want everyone to be successful.”

She adds, “I’m very proud to be where I am at my age. It’s never too late to start. I encourage anyone reading this to get started at whatever age they are.”

Among the tools to help make women successful at Samantha Taylor Fitness are an integrated accountability program, which gives them direct accountability to their coach through the Samantha Taylor Fitness custom app. 

“Accountability is huge for getting results” Samantha says. “Our clients have to be more accountable to their workouts, how they’re eating, how much water they’re drinking and how their weight loss is going on a more detailed, ongoing basis with their trainer.” 

She adds, “We’ve also added some very effective supplements for those who want to use them, to help expediate their results from a supplement line created by a Ph.D. in biochemistry who previously only provided these supplements for Olympic athletes before making them available to the public.”

STF also offers a 3D body scan machine that takes your measurements digitally once each month and provides more accurate readings of your measurements, body fat and muscle tone.

“It’s not just about weight loss here,” Samantha says. “We focus on how their body shape is changing, not just weight loss,” Samantha says. “So those measurements really help with that.

The studios also offer a variety of payment plans, including new weekly payments and month-to-month options. 

The Wesley Chapel Samantha Taylor Fitness Studio is located is at 26908 Ridgebrook Dr. For Samantha’s free New Year’s goal-setting master class, go to SamanthaTaylorFitness.com/new2022. For more information, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com, call (813) 377-3739.