Former Tampa Bay Bucs kicker Martin Gramática posed for lots of pictures when he was met by a happy crowd of doctors, nurses and staffers at AdventHealth Tampa on Bruce B. Downs Blvd on Sep. 6 to help kick off the Bucs 2024 season two days later. (Photos by Charmaine George)
AdventHealth Tampa (3100 E. Fletcher Ave. at Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) got a special visit Friday from a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star two days before the team kicked off the 2024 NFL season.
Super Bowl winner Martin Gramática stopped by to greet hundreds of doctors, nurses, and clinicians. The former Bucs kicker took time to sign autographs, take photos and show his appreciation for the hard work front-line health care workers do every day.
AdventHealth is the exclusive hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Gramática said he was happy — and honored — to represent the Bucs while greeting the AdventHealth Tampa team.
“I’m just here representing the Bucs to say ‘Thank you’ to all of the men and women who sacrifice so much to take care of us when we’re not doing well.”
Gramática, who also is the VP of Business Development for Life Guard Imaging, said that it was just a “happy coincidence” that he made his appearance at the hospital’s Pepin Heart Institute. “Life Guard is just an imaging center,” he said. “This is where you go to be taken care of when we find something wrong with you that needs to be addressed. People look up to football players, but these people are the real heroes.”
As for what he thinks about the Bucs — who open the season at this afternoon at 4:25 p.m. against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium — this year, when many so-called experts believe the team isn’t playoff caliber, Gramática said, “I don’t know about that. I’m really excited about our chances. We had a really good year last year and when you bring guys like (quarterback) Baker (Mayfield) and (wide receiver) MIke (Evans) back, and add some young talent, you never know what can happen. Everyone starts the year 0-0 and every team is one injury away from not being good, so we just have to stay healthy and I think we’re gonna be good.”
Bucs cheerleaders Dante Hale (far left) and Ella Whitby (far right) were also happy to pose for pictures with the AdventHealth team.
Doctor of Physical Therapy Lauren Leiva of The ExerScience Center & the adjacent new Zen Powerhouse hot yoga studio off S.R. 54 in Lutz has been a featured speaker at multiple international conferences regarding not just physical therapy, but many other traditional and holistic medical practices. (Photos provided by Dr. Lauren Leiva)
The ExerScience Center, a revolutionary hub for fitness and physical rehabilitation off S.R. 54 in Lutz, has become a place of hope and transformation under the guidance of its visionary creator, Dr. Lauren Leiva, DPT.
This state-of-the-art facility has recently expanded to include Zen Powerhouse, a hot yoga and meditation studio next door. With a combined space of more than 3,000 square feet, the center offers a range of innovative therapies, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, infrared sauna, ice plunges, vibration plates and decompression for the spine, alongside its specialized gait training programs. In addition to all of these amazing technologies, the Center has talented therapists for bodywork including cupping, Graston Technique, Dry Needling, Sound Bath, Detoxifying Lymphatic Drainage, Joint Mobilization and so much more!
Dr. Leiva (right) and her patient Molly at the Spastic Paraplegia conference.
You may know Dr. Leiva if you attended yoga classes in at the Crunch or EōS Fitness gyms in Land O’Lakes. She is a highly accomplished individual with a diverse range of qualifications and expertise in the field of health and wellness. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer. In addition to these certifications, Lauren also is a master dry needler, fitness nutrition specialist, Graston Technique-certified practitioner, yoga instructor, sound healer, and Neubie practitioner with a focus on Muscular Sclerosis, among other accomplishments. Her extensive list of qualifications and certifications reflects her dedication to providing comprehensive care and support to her clients. Just hear what her clients have to say — and go to Google for many more!!!
Hear from her clients: “Six months ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the ExerScience Center and I was blown away by the atmosphere and dedication to wellness that Dr. Lauren has created. She uses a combination of healing modalities that best suit her patients’ needs, from traditional physical therapy to personal training, yoga, sauna, cold immersion therapy, weight training and advanced technology — she leaves no stone unturned when it comes to care. I highly recommend The ExerScience Center for anyone looking for health, wellness and healing.” — Patrick Alonso
Dr. Leiva founded The ExerScience Center in honor of her mother, who was a victim of medical malpractice.
Patient Patricia Sullivan’s 5-star review says, “The ExerScience center has been life- changing. After four traumatic life events in 2022, I couldn’t sleep. Dr. Lauren Leiva and Kristina are brilliant and the brain tap device helped me get back to REM sleep. They have such love, kindness and compassion. I would highly recommend this center for physical therapy, nutrition, weight loss and other natural methods to help reduce stress. So fortunate to be a part of this center!”
Founded on the belief to do no harm first after Dr. Leiva lost her own mother to medical malpractice in 2019., The ExerScience Center was established with a vision to combine the passions of exercise and science to utilized evidence-based research. Being a physical therapist and a personal trainer, Dr. Leiva has recognized how these two fields were not only similar but also held immense potential when used in combination. “We believe that achieving one’s best potential required a holistic approach that encompassed both the mind and body,” she says.
The name “ExerScience” perfectly encapsulated Dr. Leiva’s philosophy. It represented the fusion of exercise and science, highlighting the importance of both in optimizing one’s health and well-being. Her goal is not just to help people recover from injuries or get better physically, but to assist them in reaching their ultimate potential.
A Focus On Education
“At The ExerScience Center,” Dr. Leiva says, “we host an internship program and embrace continuing education, understanding the significance of scientific research and the need for continuous advancements in the field. While technology, such as our iPhones, constantly evolves, so do treatment options, therapeutic approaches, recovery techniques, and strengthening methods.”
Dr. Leiva works hard to stay at the forefront of these advancements, ensuring that her clients have access to the latest research and technology available.
One of those interns, Izzy D, says this about her experience working with Dr. Leiva:
Dr. Lauren Leiva & her current crew of interns at The ExerScience Center.
“I have enjoyed my time at The ExerScience Center and learning under the tutelage of Dr. Leiva. I had incredible hands-on experience and eye-opening exposure to physical therapy modalities. The clinic focuses on integrative practices to create individualized treatment (plans) and the best possible outcomes for patients. Dr. Leiva is wonderful mentor who values educational experiences. She exudes altruism, which makes her an exceptional one-of-a kind physical therapy practitioner.”
Recently filmed for a documentary on Amazon Prime, Dr. Leiva has earned the nickname “The Queen of Biohacking,” thanks to her expertise in utilizing cutting-edge techniques and technologies to optimize human performance. Called “Biohack Yourself,” the documentary is set to be released on Amazon Prime this December and will provide a platform to showcase her top Biohackers, including Robert F. Kennedy, Dave Asprey, Jim Kwik and so many in this discipline to inspire others.
“Check out the cast on IMDB,” she says. “It’s amazing!!!”
Dr. Leiva at the IMDB Film Festival, where her documentary film “Biohack Yourself” was premiered.
Dr. Leiva has traveled the world and is now speaking at conferences to bridge the gap between traditional medicine, plant medicine and the latest technologies.
Being one of the first medical marijuana card recipients in Florida, she is paving the way through science — researching the effects of ayahuasca (the South American psychoactive typically used by indigenous cultures and folk healers in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins) and other plant medicines on brain waves.
One of the center’s standout features is a comprehensive program that caters to individuals relearning to walk after various challenges. Whether it’s a stroke survivor, someone recovering from surgery, Parkinson’s disease, or an individual adjusting to a new prosthetic, etc., the gait-training program at The ExerScience Center provides personalized support and guidance. By optimizing energy and movement patterns, Dr. Leiva and her staff enable individuals to regain their mobility with confidence and efficiency.
Zen Powerhouse
However, The ExerScience Center isn’t limited to rehabilitation services alone.
“From pain to performance, we take people through their span of care,” she says, “as I believe it’s never a destination, but a lifestyle of longevity and wellness.”
Dr. Leiva invites you to experience holistic healing at her Zen Powerhouse hot yoga & meditation studio.
The addition of Zen Powerhouse, the Center’s new hot yoga and meditation studio, is a testament to our commitment after rehabilitation goals are met.
“Visitors can now experience the benefits of hot yoga and meditation, both of which promote mental clarity, flexibility and inner peace. The integration of these practices complements the Center’s rehabilitation services, creating a comprehensive approach to optimal body and mind performance.”
The expanded facility offers a range of other advanced practices designed to support spiritual recovery, physical mobility and overall wellness. The hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber provides a healing environment where individuals can experience increased oxygen levels, which helps promote tissue repair and regeneration. The Center’s infrared sauna aids in detoxification, relaxation and pain relief, while ice plunges offer therapeutic benefits such as reducing inflammation and improving circulation. Vibration plates and decompression for the spine further contribute to the center’s commitment to providing innovative solutions for physical well-being.
People from all walks of life are drawn to The ExerScience Center’s unique approach.
Shameless Plug
“I also recommend stopping in to my husband Jonathan’s store — Leiva’s Jewelry on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (in the New Tampa Center shopping plaza). Let him know I sent you. He has been a part of the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel community for the past ten years and continues to provide beautiful, custom-designed jewelry, as well as jewelry repair services.”
The ExerScience Center and Zen Powerhouse Yoga & Meditation Studio are located at 24706 S.R. 54 in Lutz. For more information, visit TheExerScienceCenter.com, call (813) 803-7070.
Dr. Lauren & her husband Jonathan Leiva of Leiva’s Jewelry in New Tampa, with their sons Elijah (standing) and Alexander Joseph.
As anyone who has visited the Lotte Plaza Market food court can attest, Korean fried chicken places are all the rage here now. With one successful Florida location in Bradenton, one in Ybor City and the newest one in front of the Ballantrae community on S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes, Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken & Boba Tea (left photo) will look to capitalize on this crunchy new craze when it opens next week in the former location of FJ Express in the Shoppes at New Tampa at 1832 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. just south of S.R. 56.
Featuring authentic Korean fried chicken, bibimbap bowls, Asian fusion appetizers (like pork potstickers) and boba teas, Sweet Krunch could have a future in our area. For more info, visit SweetKrunchFL.kwickmenu.com or the Ballantrae location at 17788 Aprile Dr., Land O’Lakes.
The Bean Shack Opens At The Mall
With the move of Coffee Latitudes to a brick-&-mortar café south of County Line Rd., there’s a new purveyor of coffee in the same kiosk at the Shops at Wiregrass — The Bean Shack (photo right).
But, it’s not completely new, as Coffee Latitudes owners James and Olga Frank are still supplying their delicious house-roasted coffee to The Bean Shack, which the new owner Ben says has a “beachy” vibe. We hope to update you about everything The Bean Shack has to offer in a future issue.
Congratulations, My Spice Buds!
Bindu Grandhi of My Spice Buds receives her “Fulfill Your Destiny” Business Builder Grant award (right) from Tampa Bay Markets.
Congratulations go out to Wesley Chapel resident Bindu Grandhi, the founder & CEO of My Spice Buds, a local family-owned venture that has been spicing up the local culinary scene with all-natural, vibrant hot sauces (Super Mirchi, Fiery Mirchi, and Tangy Mirchi), which stand out in the market for their health-conscious ingredients and exceptional flavors, drawing from cherished family recipes.
My Spice Buds was honored with a “Fulfill Your Destiny” Business Builder Grant from Tampa Bay Markets (TBM) at a recent TBM Fresh Market event at the Shops at Wiregrass. Aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs, this program provides crucial funding to take participating businesses to the next level.
Bindu says, “My Spice Buds is more than just a business; it’s a passion project. This grant not only validates our vision, it also empowers us to continue innovating and expanding our product offerings,” including a new spice blend. For more information, visit MySpiceBuds.com. — GN
You still have a chance to win FREE dining in this year’s Reader Dining Survey & Contest, but as you’re reading this, there’s only a little more than six weeks left to vote for your favorite eateries in Wesley Chapel & New Tampa! Click HEREto enter!
Here are this year’s categories again!
1) Your Five Favorite (overall) Restaurants in Wesley Chapel (WC)
2) Your Favorite American Restaurant in Wesley Chapel
3) Your Favorite Pizza Place in WC
Those same three categories also appear on the New Tampa ballot.
Both entry forms, however, also include lists of places that ask you to pick your Favorite in New Tampa (NT) AND Wesley Chapel, often (but not always) because there aren’t enough in a certain category in just one of our distribution areas. Here are those other categories:
1) You Favorite Mexican Place in NT/ WC
2) Your Favorite Latin (but not Mexican) Restaurant in NT/WC
3) Your Favorite Chinese Place in NT/WC
4) Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurant in NT & WC
5) Your Favorite Thai or Korean Restaurant in NT/WC
6) Your Favorite Italian Food in NT/WC
7) Your Favorite Greek or Mediterranean Restaurant in NT/WC
8) Your Favorite Indian Place in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Breakfast Place in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt or Gelato Place in NT/WC
10) Your Favorite Bakery in NT/WC
11) Your Favorite Coffee Shop in NT/WC
We’re providing the lists of places, although we’ve left out the large national and regional chains (with more than 50-60 total locations), because you have to write (or type) the names of your favorites in the spaces provided and we’re pretty sure you know those if they’re your favorite in a category — and yes, you can still include them (we just wish you would focus on local).
Fill out as many categories as you like, but please don’t put the same name in every category, because those votes won’t be counted and if a restaurant is on our Wesley Chapel list, your vote won’t count if you write the name of that restaurant in any New Tampa-only spaces and vice-versa.
You can submit both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel ballots without being DQed — and, as always, there is still no purchase of any kind necessary to enter or win a great FREE prize! Click HERE for Wesley Chapel and click HERE for New Tampa.
This year’s Grand Prize is now $200 in FREE dining to the restaurant of your choice anywhere in the Tampa Bay area. There also are prizes of $100 and $50, all chosen at random from among all correctly-filled-out entries received by email or on our NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net website (Note-no U.S. Mail entries will be accepted for this year’s contest!) by Friday, October 18.
Attorney Cela Webster (left) and firm administrator Krista Creech of Chapel Legal in the Tampa Palms Professional Center are happy to help you and your family with wills, estate planning, probate and other family law matters. (Photos by Charmaine George)
When Luis Perez was going through an acrimonious separation from his wife, he hired a divorce lawyer who sounded great — a guy who advertised that he helps men in Luis’ situation. Quickly, though, Luis realized that the lawyer was not going to be a good fit for him.
“He was young and arrogant and didn’t give me the attention I needed,” Luis says. “I had a lot of questions and I was trying to figure out my life, and it took this guy two or three days to return a phone call. He was always in court. He was always too busy.”
Luis was traveling home from a business conference when he met attorney Cela Webster of Chapel Legal, in the Tampa Palms Professional Center (off Commerce Palms Blvd.) on a plane. She was friendly and introduced herself as a family law attorney. She handed him a business card and told him to be in touch if he ever needed anything. He says it was a moment of fate, with her knowing nothing about his personal issues.
But, a couple months after that flight, Luis remembered how kind she was on the plane. He had decided to fire his unresponsive attorney, so he reached out to Cela.
He says that’s when everything changed.
“She cared enough to listen to me for a half an hour while I told her everything that was going on,” says Luis. “She was very professional and knowledgeable. I was afraid I was going to lose everything, but she made me feel so comfortable and confident. She gave me a vision.”
He says it took nine months for the divorce to be finalized. During that time, he says Cela became his adviser, his counselor and an amazing friend. “Every question I had, she would answer,” he says. “She really cares.”
Luis says she didn’t always tell him what he wanted to hear, but, “she predicted almost to the T exactly how it was all going to play out.”
Cela’s expertise helped him get what was most important to him out of the divorce. He says the law changed and allowed him to have joint custody of his son. He says if he would have filed for divorce before the law changed, he would have lost his rights. That’s information Cela knew, but his previous attorney somehow never mentioned.
Cela says she treats all of her clients with that kind of “white glove” service.
“I’m going to call you back, respond to you and know you by your first and last name,” says Cela. “You’re not just a number to me. I don’t take every client because I like to serve my clients with excellence.”
She opened Chapel Legal nearly two years ago, after two decades of work as an attorney in both Florida and New York.
First, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of South Florida and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Syracuse University College of Law in Syracuse, NY, in 2000.
She started in family law, working for legal aid and serving as an attorney in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. She also served as Chief of Staff for a judge within that district, learning the ins and outs behind the scenes and writing legal opinions.
In 2015, she and her husband, Matt, moved their family to Wesley Chapel, near Cela’s hometown of Temple Terrace. Their son Jack graduated from Wiregrass Ranch High in 2023 and now attends the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY. Their daughter Eliana is 17 and their son Nathan is 13.
Upon her return to the Tampa Bay area, Cela went to work for Bay Area Legal Services. Looking for a change of pace, she then served as general counsel for Hernando County for three years. With her wide variety of experience, she says, “I’ve worked on every kind of case on the planet.”
These days, she is focused on helping families with custody arrangements for children, or modifying arrangements that have already been made. She helps with divorces, adoptions and other family matters, as well.
Wills, Estate & Probate Services
Chapel Legal also helps people create a will, designate a healthcare surrogate, set up a power of attorney or guardianship and other important areas of estate planning.
She has recently added probate to the services available to her clients. This is a court-supervised process for identifying and gathering the assets of a deceased person, paying off their debts and distributing assets to their beneficiaries.
If you hire Chapel Legal to handle your family law matters, attorney Cela Webster will be certain to review every document and will know all of the case law that could affect your situation.
“One of the key things people don’t know or appreciate is that their estate planning documents are living documents that move with you through life,” she says. “You have to keep updating them.”
For example, she says you need to change them when you get married, when you get a new job, when you leave a job, if someone in your family passes away, or anytime there’s an important change in your life situation.
And, Cela says, it’s also important to do it before you actually need to do it.
“It’s never too early,” she says.
As the mom of a West Point cadet, she also offers her support to members of the military and first responders. She will prepare estate planning documents for any student at any miliary academy for free.
“I’ll take care of you,” she says. “I donate my time and my paralegal donates her time.”
She says for cadets, who are typically right out of high school, these documents are essential — just like for everyone their age.
Many parents don’t realize that once their child turns 18, they no longer have the right to help them if something happens to that adult child, unless that child has listed them on a power of attorney document.
So, for example, if an 18-year-old becomes incapacitated in a car accident, their parents have no right to make medical decisions for them, unless the appropriate documents are in place.
She can help families determine what documents they need to protect them in many different situations.
Cela also donates her time to the Hillsborough County Bar Association “Wills for Heroes” program, offering free wills, health care advance directives and durable powers of attorney to local first responders.
She also is a board member with the Tampa Hispanic Bar Association and is excited to give back to students as part of the committee that raises money for scholarships.
“My number one goal is to help people,” Cela says. “Whether I’m working in public service or federal court, it’s always about serving people.”
Cela is licensed to practice in both New York and Florida, but she is fully focused on serving families and individuals in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas.
While many attorneys don’t offer a free consultation, Cela says it’s important to her that people have an opportunity to ask her questions before they determine whether or not to hire her.
And, as a native Spanish speaker, Cela is happy to work with people who only speak Spanish or who prefer to communicate about the sometimes complicated issues of family law in their native language.
Her client Luis says that after working with Cela, he’s convinced she’s the best attorney in Tampa and may be the best attorney you’ll find anywhere.
“I had to experience a terrible attorney to really appreciate her,” he says. “But, her dedication, attention to detail and her love for her craft is undeniable.”
Chapel Legal is located at 17425 Bridge Hill Ct., Suite 202. If you need help with family law, estate planning or probate, Chapel Legal attorney Cela Webster offers a free phone consultation. For more information, visit ChapelLegal.com or call (813) 524- 6393.
