Nibbles: Restaurant Blitz!

The months of Oct. & Nov. will be among the busiest times yet for new restaurants in the Wesley Chapel area.

Here are some of the highlights:

Florida Avenue Brewing Co. (2029 Arrowgrass Dr.) — With its opening as we went to press, I think our readers will be really excited about Florida Ave., which has a great menu and lots of room for social distancing (even at the spacious indoor and outdoor bars), in the former location of Sports + Field off S.R. 56.

Florida Ave., which has its original location in Seminole Heights, isn’t yet brewing its awesome variety of microbrews at its new location — its original Florida Ave. location will still provide the beer — but it has a full-liquor bar, video games for the kids and delicious, food items, including both standard bar fare and unique options like the Chinese-style sticky ribs shown above (photo by Charmaine George), bibimbap bowls, crispy cauliflower tacos and many more. Please tell the Derby family I sent you! 

Rock & Brews (26000 S.R. 56, Lutz) — Our Rock & Brews will be the 18th link in this chain of rock-themed restaurants owned in part (and inspired) by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of the rock band Kiss. In order to preview Rock & Brews in this issue,

I visited the aptly-named “Kiss”-immee location, and I definitely came away impressed with the  look of the place (with images of rock icons from Kiss to Prince and from Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen adorning the walls) to the food, including the blackened redfish shown above (which comes with a Louisiana-style crawfish cream sauce that I couldn’t eat because of my shellfish allergy) to a semi-spicy bruschetta. Rock & Brews (visit RockandBrews.com) should open by mid-October.

Bonefish Grill (Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz) — Although Wesley Chapel has had a Bonefish Grill for years, that location on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. is expected to close when the new Bonefish opens next to Aussie Grill — which could be in October as well. Although we weren’t able to get an opening date from parent company Bloomin’ Brands, there is a “Now Hiring” sign at the new location.

Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill & Crumbl Cookies (25916 & 25922 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz) — Of these two new options, located in the same building as the Woof Gang Bakery and the new Charles Schwab office (east of Bahama Breeze on the north side of S.R. 56), Zukku-San looks closer to opening, although both places have “Now Hiring” signs out in front. The guess here is that neither will open much before the end of October. For more info, visit ZukkuSushi.com or CrumblCookies.com.

Moschella’s Italian Eatery & Market (5648 Post Oak Blvd.) — Owner Billy Moschella says Moschella’s should be open by the end of October and will feature a deli, pizza, fresh pastas, a butcher shop, hot prepared foods and much more. He’s also hiring cooks, pizza makers, deli workers and cashiers. To apply or for more info, visit Moschellas.com.

Chuck Lager America’s Tavern (2001 Piazza Ave., Suite 175) — So, according to the restaurant’s website, Chuck Lager is a worldwide archeological adventurer who decided to venture into opening made-from-scratch restaurants that exemplify his love of great cuisine. Lager met “Top Chef” fan favorite Fabio Viviani in Viviani’s grandmother’s Italian kitchen and a concept was born. 

With locations in Pike Creek, DE, and Barrington, NJ, the Lager team came to “The Chap” to take over the never-good-enough former Primebar location at the Shops at Wiregrass. It doesn’t look like it will make it to an October opening, but hopefully, we’ll see this tomato bacon grilled cheese with tomato bisque (above), homemade meatballs and chicken parm sooner than later.  (Visit ChuckLager.com.)

Pick Of The Week: Gu Wei Noodle & Grill!

Even though I wasn’t able to try it when it opened last month, and I’m therefore not 100% sure that it’s a Chinese restaurant (or maybe Korean?), all I can tell you is that, based on the pics from its website (guweifood.com), the new Gu Wei Noodle & Grill restaurant that is now open in the former location of Sukhothai (a long-time favorite of mine at 18101 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. at Galbraith Rd., across from the AMC Movie Theater) looks like a truly delicious winner!

From the pan-fried dumplings (above) to its signature noodle dishes and more, Gu Wei definitely looks to be a must-try for all of my fellow Asian food fans. 

 For more information about Gu Wei, which is closed on Monday and Tuesday, call (813) 615-2345 — and please tell them where you read about them!

Wildcats volleyball has eyes on postseason run


Wesley Chapel High volleyball sisters Chloe (left) and Jordan (right) Danielson led WCH to a 14-11 season in 2019 and are eyeing a district title in 2020. (Photo: Mike Camunas) 

The Wesley Chapel High (WCH) volleyball program — barely older than its players — may be coming of age.

Although its past is littered with losing records — prior to last season, the team had won as many as eight games just once (in 2013) — the Wildcats (11-4) are streaking heading into Tuesday’s showdown against Sunlake (11-1), winning six straight games.

WCH team is coming off a 14-11 season.

“The year before that we were 3-17, so, yeah, it was a complete turnaround… and we’re looking to be (Class 4A, District 6) champs this year,” said Brittany Collison, who is in her fourth season as the team’s head coach. “That’s the endgame.”

Turnarounds happen a lot quicker when you add a couple of high-jumping, spike-pounding, six-foot volleyball players like sisters Jordan and Chloe Danielson. The duo, who also play for Collison’s Club Steel team in the offseason, played together up on the net last season.

Chloe leads the team in kills with 121; Jordan is right behind her with 107, and leads the team with 197 assists.

In her first high school season, Chloe, now a sophomore, led the team in kills (216) and blocks (95), while Jordan, a senior, was second in kills with 204 and led the team with 328 assists.

“They play all year for me at Club Steel, so I know what I’m getting with them,” said Collison, a former collegiate libero at Eastern Florida State College. “There’s high-level playing from both of them. They just bring the energy and passion to this team.”

But, it wasn’t always this much fun, especially for Jordan.

“My freshman year was super rough,” she said. “We weren’t good at all and neither was I. I wasn’t even close to how good I am now or how good we are now. … I’ve only been playing club for 3-4 years, but there I’m not the captain. Here, I’m the captain, so I’m like, ‘Let’s get this done.’” 

It is not, however, only a two-person show at WCH, which boasts plenty of experience. Senior middle blocker Amiya Oliver is a force at the net with 77 kills and 38 blocks, sophomore setter Vanessa Campos is emerging as a standout with 131 assists and senior libero Carina Santiago-Sanchez led the team in digs last year with 247.

But, once Chloe was added to the roster, the Wildcats’ success — especially at the net — could not contained.

“We were good and were winning, so that helps,” Chloe said. “Jordan was already here, so that made it easier and things were great from the start. She has a lot of energy up on the net, which gets me really hyped at the net, too. She’s a really huge role model for me because I’ve watched her even before I started playing, so when I see her and what she can do, it makes me want to improve myself and my game, too.”

The two sisters are able to feed off each other, and their versatility is an added bonus. They can both play most any position, and in fact, Jordan led the team in assists and was second in digs, and Chloe was first with serving aces last year.

“Since we’re used to each other’s energy, we just bounce off each other all the time,” Jordan says. “When she does something good, it pushes me to do something good, and I push her back. So, it’s nice to have the same energy as someone playing next to you.”

Business Is Pretty Cool At Total Air Solutions

Total Air Solutions service tech Matt Bonnell inspects an air conditioning unit. The Tampa office of Total Air serves Wesley Chapel, New Tampa & Lutz. (Photos: Charmaine George).

Total Air Solutions has been serving not only the Tampa Bay area, but areas up and down the Gulf Coast, for the last 19 years. But, over that time, Total Air has mostly dedicated its business to commercial properties — from offices to medical clinics and more.

It was only about two years ago that Total Air started servicing residential customers and co-owner and co-founder Bill Albert knows that’s one reason why there are those in our area who may not be familiar with his company.

“We’ve been in Tampa a lot longer than people realize,” Albert said. “We hire local techs and we’re continuing to grow and very interested in growing in the Lutz, New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas.”

While Total Air Solutions has made strides in its quest to become the go-to service provider for air conditioning in our area, Albert points out that the recent “new normal” brought on by the novel coronavirus and subsequent quarantining from the pandemic — such as working from home and virtual schooling — has led to a very large uptick in the residential air conditioning business.

“Everyone is in their houses now,” Albert says. “It was fine when you left your house at seven in the morning (and could turn the air down). But now that you’re there 24/7… everyone needs the service much more because the air is always running. And, it’s Florida. So it’s been a banner year for our residential side.”

On The Grow From Day One

Albert figures that Total Air, which he started in his garage with fellow co-owner/co-founder Frank Decarlo, has nearly doubled in size in less than a year. 

“To put it frankly, it’s going like gangbusters because everyone is staying home and they’re concerned about their air conditioning,” he says. “Our commercial side slowed down a bit, especially in April and May, but we’re seeing that pick back up, too, as offices are reopening.”

Bill Albert

Albert worked for six years as an HVAC distributor for Carrier Florida, first in Tampa and then in Orlando, and prior to that, he held positions in a solar hot water heating and installation company and a home energy design system firm. 

Decarlo previously was the VP/general manager at a heating and cooling company in North Port for seven years, where he was initially hired as a service manager and grew that company’s annual sales fourfold. Prior to that, he was a service technician at an air conditioning firm in New York.

Now, 19 years later and having combined their efforts, Total Air Solutions has offices in Tampa and North Port and 92 employees.

“There are a lot of air conditioning companies out there, but there are very few qualified technicians,” Albert says. “We’re also Carrier-certified and (have won Carrier’s) President’s Award three years in a row, but we can also fix any brand because when you call us, we send you service technicians, not salesmen. There’s an industry term for that — an SID, or “salesman in disguise” — but that’s not what you get from Total Air. We’re not going to sell you things you don’t need. We try to find the total air solution for our customers.”

Like any business, Albert adds, Covid-19 has affected the way Total Air Solutions meets its customers’ needs. The offices were initially shut down and the employees were working remotely. And then, the  technicians would go out to calls and drive separate vehicles.

And, Albert says, Total Air is adhering to every guideline put out by the U.S. Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

“While we’ve been very lucky that we’ve been touched very sparingly with our employees and personally with this disease,” Albert says, “we are still taking every precaution provided by the CDC. (We use) masks, gloves, sanitizer, booties, covering the (cost of) testing for our employees — we’re just doing the best we can, like everyone else.”

Hurricane Season Mode

Albert adds that Total Air also is handling the “new normal” of visiting customers’ homes well, but also is in full hurricane season mode at our press time, knowing that any storm that hits the area could require a lot more service requests.

“We’re very conscious of hurricane season because we know there can be damage or people can be without air conditioning,” Albert says. “We want to help them get it back up and running as quickly as possible.”

And, Total Air does that very well and efficiently. It’s one of the reasons they been able to keep customers from the very start.

“I’ve been a customer with Total Air Solutions for about three years,” says Carroll Grant of New Tampa. “It all started when my air conditioner went out in the middle of the night. They were here at 7 o’clock in the morning to install the new unit with no hassle at all, and I’ve been happy ever since.”

Grant is aware that, as a Floridian, having a working air conditioning system isn’t a luxury. 

“Living here in Florida, having reliable air conditioning service is not just a request or a hope, it’s an absolute necessity,” he says. “So, my suggestion would be to anyone who needs air conditioning solutions, give Total Air a call. I would very much recommend them to friends and family, and I have.”

Especially since Total Air is now offering three inspection for the price of two, a package which costs just $149.The special is only for new customers, who need to mention that they read about it in the Neighborhood News before the service is started.

Albert says this special offer is one of his favorites because he knows it offers a great value to his customers, especially if they are using Total Air Solutions for the first time. 

He says the maintenance of an air conditioning system, even a new unit, is vital to keeping your house cool.

“Just because it’s running doesn’t mean it’s perfect,” Albert says. “I ask (customers), ‘Don’t you change the oil in your car?’ So, you get the maintenance right there, and then you have another maintenance for the next year. It’s a great deal.”

And of course, Total Air Solutions also provides residential and commercial heating services, including installing heat pumps, and offers indoor air quality and filtration solutions (more in demand these days, due to Covid-19), as well as duct work services, and you can even finance your new Carrier AC. 

Total Air Solutions’ Tampa office is at 1015 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. For more info, visit TotalAirFl.com or call (813) 247-2665.

Covid Can’t Keep Emerald M Ranch From Its Work

Lisa Michelangelo (left) with Brianna at the recent Derby Day celebration at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Wesley Chapel. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Michelangelo)

When Brianna, a Wesley Chapel teenager with Cerebral Palsy, graduated from high school in 2019, she could have rolled herself across the stage in the wheelchair she has been confined to for most of her life.

Instead, she walked.

For Lisa Michelangelo, who had helped make that miracle possible at her Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center in Brooksville, it was the type of moment she lives for and why she does what she does.

“It was really one of the most awesome things I’ve seen,” Michelangelo says.

Michelangelo, formerly a physical therapist in New Tampa, founded the Emerald M ranch six years ago. Named for the stone that Michelangelo says stands for “hope, renewal and growth,” Emerald M offers physical therapy that incorporates hippotherapy, which utilizes the movement of horses for rehabilitative purposes.

It has been a godsend for many like Brianna. It was the first time any of her Center Academy classmates had ever seen Brianna walk. Thanks to the therapy she received at the Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center, Brianna made her graduation one of the most memorable days of her life — and the same can be said about many of those in attendance.

“I can’t express how much doing this has changed my whole perspective,” Brianna said in a video that played at the Emerald M’s second annual Derby Day fund raiser earlier this month at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Wesley Chapel. “It’s definitely life changing. I believe that wholeheartedly. It was one of the best decisions me and my family ever made.”

The fund raiser, like Brianna’s graduation, was a hit. It raised more than  $20,000 to help the Emerald M ranch continue to provide its unique form of therapy.

Usually held on the same day as the Kentucky Derby in May, the fund raiser almost didn’t happen this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We were planning and then stopped planning and then started planning again,” says Michelangelo. “It was a real blessing to be able to do it.” 

The event was limited to 120 people, or half of capacity, and about 100 attended. Those not ready to venture out or concerned about the size of the crowd despite a host of coronavirus precautions taken by the hotel’s staff, the event also was streamed to provide a virtual experience.  

Because most of Emerald M’s participants are more susceptible to coronavirus, the 20-acre ranch had to shut down in March, and re-opened in June. It features 10 horses, and more than a dozen volunteers.

The center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, usually hosts two fund raisers a year — the Derby Day event in May, which was moved to September 5, and a gala dinner in October, which had to be cancelled.

“Derby Day did not offset the gala, but we did benefit with twice what we raised at Derby Day last year,” Michelangelo says. “That is tremendous. It puts us in a much better place moving forward.”

Source: EmeraldMTherapeuticRidingCenter.org

According to Michelangelo, hippotherapy, or equine-assisted therapy, is a growing and effective way to improve one’s coordination, balance and strength, especially in cases with children suffering from Cerebral Palsy.

According to the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc., and others, the horse’s pelvis and hips move in the same way as a human’s. By riding on a horse and maintaining balance, sometimes even riding sideways and even by sitting backwards, the movement of the horse is channeled to the brain and can enhance neuromuscular development.

Not only does it help build things like strength and control, it has various sensory benefits and also helps improve motor skills.

Sarah Clanton spent the first five years of her life with nothing. She existed chained to a bed in the Ukraine, and when she was adopted by Yvonne and her husband Jon Clanton, she could barely sit up by herself.

Sarah is one of the Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center’s most successful patients, who despite being blind and mentally underdeveloped, is now walking with assistance and responding to instructions and showing major improvement in her motor skills, thanks to hippotherapy.

Emerald M has participants who suffer from autism, processing disorders, emotional disorders, cerebral palsy, paralysis and brain tumors. It also offers beginner horseback riding lessons for siblings of program participants, which helps keep everyone in the family involved.

The center also offers therapeutic adaptive riding, which is more recreational and teaches someone with a disability horsemanship skills and how to ride.

Regardless of the help needed, Michelangelo says there’s a good chance they can provide it at Emerald M.

“I love what I do,” Michelangelo says. “It doesn’t feel like therapy. We’re out in a recreational environment, and once the kids get on the horses, I’m golden because they don’t ever want to get off.”

Emerald M Riding Center is located at 4022 Goldsmith Rd. in Brooksville. For more information or to donate, visit EmeraldMTherapeuticRidingCenter.org, or call (352)-244-7471.