Whether or not youβve ever entered one of our previous Reader Dining Survey & Contests, I hope youβll consider entering at least once this year.
Yes, while we still have at least three (there could be more) free dining prizes, from $35 to $100 β to the restaurant of your choice, no less β weβre making it easier than ever before for you to enter.
Instead of a full page or more of different dining categories, all weβre asking you for is to answer one or two questions in every issue between now and Thursday, November 16, and youβll receive one entry into those random prize drawings for each Survey question you answer.
This issue, weβll start with one question that asks you for FIVE (5) answers β βName your Five Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) located in Wesley Chapel or near the Tampa Premium Outlets (aka Lutz).β
For your entry to be valid, you must name five different restaurants. If you only name one or two restaurants or fill in the name of the same restaurant in all five spaces, youβll only have one or two votes counted and your entry will not be eligible for any of our prizes.
Then, in each of the next five issues, weβll ask you to name only one or two of your favorites β for example, your Favorite Chinese Restaurant, Coffee Shop or Pizza Place β and weβll give you one additional entry into our random prize drawings for each valid entry you submit. We feel as though this should stimulate more people to enter the contests, because the task wonβt be as daunting as having to completely (or nearly completely) fill out an entire page of favorites.
As always, thereβs no purchase necessary to enter or win a prize. All we ask is that you follow the following rules:
1. Enter by filling out the entry form in the issue or by filling the form out online by clicking HERE.Β
2. You can drop your filled-out entry form in the mail (send it to β2023 Neighborhood News Dining Contest,β 2604 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Suite 102D, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544) or even email it to us at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. *Note-Entries filled out on our website do not need to be mailed or emailed to us.
3. Please check the address and zip codes of the restaurants you choose, as only votes for restaurants in zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 (Wesley Chapel) and zip code 33559 (Lutz, within 1-2 miles of the S.R. 56 exit off I-75) will be counted as βWesley Chapelβ votes. When we ask you next issue for your βFive Favorite Restaurants (of any kind) in New Tampa,β only restaurants located in zip code 33647, or in the Oak Ramble Plaza on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (in zip code 33613) and in or near the Palms Connection Plaza on E. Bearss Ave. (zip code 33559) will be counted as βNew Tampaβ votes.
4. In order to be eligible to win any of our free dining prizes to the restaurant of your choice, your entry form with a response to at least one of our questions over the next five months must include your name, full mailing address (including your zip code), the community you live in (Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, Seven Oaks, etc.), a daytime phone number where you can be reached and your valid email address.
We look forward to seeing how this yearβs contest shakes out. Good luck!
If you love songs like βYouβre the One That I Want,β βHopelessly Devoted To You,β βGrease (Is The Word)β and βBeauty School Dropoutβ from the Broadway musical and subsequent movie (starring John Travolta and the late, great Olivia Newton-John) βGrease,β I can personally guarantee, in all sincerity, that you will not be disappointed if you check out the New Tampa Players (NTP) production of the 1972 Tony Award winner later this month.
The performances will be presented at the all-new New Tampa Performing Arts Center (PAC) off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. the weekends of July 21-23 and July 28-30 and tickets are already selling very well.
βWe had less than 100 tickets left (of the 350 available for each performance) for the two Sunday matinee shows (on July 23 & 30),β said NTP producing artistic director Nora Paine shortly before we went to press with this issue. βWe definitely expect to sell out all six shows.β
The hard-working cast (photo above), under the direction of G. Frank Meekins with choreography by Sarah Walston, features the tremendous talents of Dylan Fidler as Danny, Olivia Carr as Sandy, Kyle Fisher as Kenicke and Alyson Gannon as Rizzo. But honestly, as someone excited to be playing a minor character (Vince Fontaine) in this show, the entire ensemble is amazing.
For tickets & more information, see the ad below or visit NewTampaPlayers.org. β GN
The last time New Tampa had its own bagel place, it was called The Ultimate Bagel, which closed its location in Tampa Palms about 20 years ago.
In other words, the people in the community just south of Wesley Chapel have been waiting quite a while for a true New York-stye bagel place to open in zip code 33647.
Well, the wait it over, as Jeff Cofini (left in photo) and his nephew Nick Cignarella have opened Zioβs New York Bagel & Deli in the Pebble Creek Collection (at 19651 BBD Blvd.) and yes, the bagels are legit!Β
My fried egg, bacon and cheese (photo left) on a sesame bagel was outstanding and Zioβs has not only your favorite bagel varieties, but also everything cheddar, cheddar bacon (with real strips of bacon baked in) and more.
Breakfast, including freshly-made omelets, is available all day, but donβt forget the Boarβs Head meat-and-cheese sandwiches, like The Melvin (below, left) with pastrami,, corned beef, melted Swiss & cole slaw.
For info, call (813) 388-9498 or visit βZioβs New York Bagel & Deliβ on Facebook. β GN, photos by Charmaine George & GNΒ
Attorney & Wesley Chapel resident Cela Websterβs Chapel Legal in Tampa Palms can help with all of your estate planning & family law needs. (Photo by Charmaine George).
When Cela Webster opened Chapel Legal just eight months ago, it was both a homecoming and the culmination of a career that has prepared her to help clients in the areas of family law and estate planning.
Chapel Legal is located in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off of Commerce Palms Blvd., near the Bruce B. Downs exit of I-75. While Cela is available for in-person consultations at her office location, she says many clients prefer to talk on the phone or meet virtually via a videoconferencing app.
Most often, she helps families who need custody arrangements for children, or need to modify arrangements that have already been made. She can help with divorce, adoption, and other family matters, as well.
Chapel Legal also helps people create a will, designate a healthcare surrogate, set up power of attorney or guardianship, and other important areas of estate planning.
And, Cela also has developed a specialty in church law, where she helps churches with all types of legal questions β from employee matters to Covid compliance. βA couple of them (churches) have me on speed dial,β she says. βI just never know what theyβre going to ask.β
But, Cela says, sheβs always prepared no matter what they ask her, thanks to a long and varied career that has exposed her to many courtrooms and legal opinions in both Florida and New York.
Cela left her hometown of Temple Terrace after graduating with a Bachelorβs degree in Political Science from the University of South Florida. She says the plan was to go to New York for law school and then return home to practice.
She started off on that path, earning her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Syracuse University College of Law in Syracuse, NY, in 2000.
She then took an extended stay of almost two decades before she came back.
βI tell people I was there βon accidentβ for 19 years,β she laughs.
During those years, Cela started off in family law, worked for legal aid and served 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.
When it was finally time to come back to Florida in 2015, she and her husband, J. Matt Webster, Ph.D., moved their family β including three children β to Wesley Chapel. As we reported last issue, their son Jack recently graduated from Wiregrass Ranch High and will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, this fall. Their daughter Eliana is now 16 and their son Nathan is 12.
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, βIβve worked on every kind of case on the planet.β
Thatβs when she decided to take the leap into her own private practice. Cela says this gives her the opportunity to serve clients exactly the way she wants to, which starts with being a good listener and explaining to her clients that β although they may not get everything they want β they will be heard, have good representation, and an attorney who truly cares about them.
βFamily law isnβt like the ads you see on TV where lawyers promise to win your case for you,β she says. βItβs got its own rules and standards. Everyone compromises a little bit so that the settlement is fair. Itβs not black and white like prosecution and defense.β
In addition to family law, Cela is an expert in estate planning who can help make sure you have the necessary documents in place to protect your loved ones.
A Very Personal Example…
She shares her own personal story so that people understand how important estate planning can be. Even as an attorney who specializes in this area, she unexpectedly found herself in a situation where her mom became temporarily incapacitated, but Cela couldnβt make decisions on her behalf in the hospital because she didnβt have all of the required paperwork beforehand to do so.
Thankfully, her mom recovered quickly and they immediately signed the necessary paperwork so that would never happen again. While Cela certainly didnβt expect to find herself in that situation, she uses her story to help people understand that the time to execute documents such as a Power of Attorney and Healthcare Surrogate is long before you think they will be needed.
Cela is licensed to practice in both New York and Florida, but she is fully focused on serving families in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas.
A local business owner named Ann recently hired Chapel Law to help with an amendment to her will.
βCela was wonderful to work with,β Ann says. βSheβs professional, supportive and clearly knows her stuff.β
Ann says the process was educational for her and her husband, as Cela coached them through nuances and loopholes. βCela helped us through some tough decisions and was a very good coach,β Ann says. βShe is an excellent attorney all around.β
Cela says she considers it a privilege to serve her neighbors and work as a small operation, answering her own phone calls and making it a priority to be available to her clients, including quickly and personally answering all of their emails.
βIβm just a regular person who loves what I do,β she says.
While many attorneys donβt offer a free consultation, Cela says itβs important to her that people have an opportunity to ask questions before they determine whether or not to hire her.
βIn fact, if people have a question about whether or not their issue is even an issue, Iβm happy to discuss it. Will a judge consider making the change youβre asking? Letβs talk about it,β she says.
And, sheβs happy to talk about it in Spanish or English.
As someone who is Cuban and Salvadorian β and a native Spanish speaker β Cela has no problem working with those who only speak Spanish or who prefer to communicate about the sometimes complicated issues of family law in their native language.
Chapel Legal is located at 17425 Bridge Hill Ct., Suite 202. If you need help with a family law or estate planning matter, Chapel Legal attorney Cela Webster offers a free phone consultation. For more information, visit ChapelLegal.com, call (813) 524-6393.
Dr. Hasan Suleiman of Your DPC in the Pebble Creek Professional Park wants to help you save money while still receiving quality primary care medical services.Β (Photo by Charmaine George)Β
Seeing a primary care medical provider is very important β but it isnβt cheap β especially (usually) for those without health insurance. However, Dr. Hasan Suleiman, the physician and founder behind Your DPC, a newly opened doctorβs office in the Pebble Creek Professional Park that offers a more personalized approach to primary care without breaking the bank, is trying to change that.
DPC stands for βDirect Primary Care,β a healthcare model that allows physicians to offer primary care services without traditional insurance billing. Instead of paying copays or deductibles, Your DPC charges a fixed monthly βmembershipβ rate for primary care appointments β just $59/month for children from birth to 17 years old and $99/month for adults ages 18 and older.
Members have access to unlimited visits with Dr. Suleiman with no copays or hidden fees. Appointments can be same day or next day and are never rushed, to allow for comprehensive exams and thorough doctor-patient discussions. If you are unable to see the doctor in person, you also can reach him by phone, text, e-mail or virtually.
After appointments, if members need to get lab tests or imaging performed outside of the office, or medications from the pharmacy, Dr. Suleiman negotiates directly with clinical labs, radiology offices and pharmacies to offer discounted rates to Your DPCβs patients.
Dr. Suleiman is experienced in treating high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, anxiety, depression, weight management and urgent care needs. βPrimary care β annual physicals, check-ups, follow-ups, urgent care, preventative care, and thorough patient education β is my bread and butter,β he says.
Dr. Suleiman is a Board-certified family medicine doctor with more than 10 years of experience. He received his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of Illinois Chicago and his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Barbados. After graduation, he completed three years of family medicine residency training with Wayne State University School of Medicine at Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital (formerly Crittenton Hospital) in Rochester, MI.
He has been married for seven years to his wife Lisa and together, they have four children β two daughters and two sons. Moving from Chicago to Wesley Chapel in 2021, the Suleiman family enjoys outdoors time of all kinds, from the beach to amusement parks to walking on nature trails.
βWeβre very happy to have moved here β with no regrets,β says Dr. Suleiman. βThis is a family-friendly area with lots of parks and things to do.β
Can you picture that traditional family doctor dashing over with his briefcase to make house calls? Dr. Suleiman has that vision for himself and his patients, too.
βI was deliberate in picking my home and office locations,β shares Dr. Suleiman. βI wanted to work close to home and live close to my patients so that I can see them during odd hours and respond to urgent calls. I am always available in times of need for my patients.β
Will I Still Need Insurance?
As with the 1,600+ other DPC offices across the country, Your DPC does not accept insurance β intentionally β in order to bypass the complicated paperwork, higher charges, and time spent back and forth when billing insurance companies for routine healthcare services.
Dr. Suleiman explains this powerfully with a common example.
βTake a patient who tears the rotator cuff in his shoulder,β says Dr. Suleiman. βNormally, if he goes through his insurance, he would get a physical exam first, then an x-ray. An exam and x-ray might not be enough to show internal injuries, but usually insurance companies do not allow you to order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) right away. The patient may need to take medication and receive physical therapy for 3-6 months first before his insurance will cover an MRI. But, this recommended order of events may delay surgery and worsen the injury.β
He adds, however, βIf I can see the patient without insurance, I could order an MRI if warranted right away for typically 80-90% less than with insurance,β Dr. Suleiman says. βAn MRI with insurance may cost $2,000-$6,000, but I can charge $200- $300. This can confirm whether surgery is needed quickly, without delay.
But, the doctor stresses that β yes β you still should carry insurance with Your DPC because specialty medical services and hospital care do not fall under Your DPCβs primary care services.Β
βYour DPC increases accessibility, convenience and affordability for primary care,β Dr. Suleiman explains. βOur goal is to optimize your health and minimize specialist visits and hospitalizations, but you should still not pay out of pocket for emergency room visits, specialist appointments, and hospitalizations, if they are needed.βΒ
Your DPC has a referral system in place to coordinate care with specialists and hospital physicians. βI have met with many specialists and hospital staff in the area to build relationships for situations that require referral or hospital admission,β says Dr. Suleiman. βFor example, I have talked with the AdventHealth hospitals and we have an agreement that if any of my patients receive hospital care with them, I would be able to access my patientsβ electronic medical records. This helps me stay informed of any treatment or medication changes, so I can continue them after discharge and monitor my patientsβ progress.β
Truly, the sweet spot for someone with employer-based insurance to combine their insurance with the DPC model is to obtain a high deductible health plan (HDHP). This type of insurance has lower monthly payroll deductions but higher deductibles than the preferred provider organization (PPO) health plans. This means less money from your salary goes towards your healthcare, but if you do need outpatient healthcare services, you will have to pay a much higher deductible first, before your insurance kicks in, and your copays will be higher too. Thankfully, Your DPC bypasses insurance, so HDHP patients wonβt have to pay that deductible, just the monthly membership rate.
This may all sound complicated and perhaps too good to be true, but the best way to understand how it works is to meet with the doctor to see if Your DPC can work for you. Thatβs exactly what David Schoonover of New Tampa says about his experience with Your DPC.
David has had HDHP insurance through his job for years. He learned about DPC through a friend and after doing his own research, and decided to get a Your DPC membership about three months ago, as it is one of the only DPC offices in the area.
Since then, he has already seen Dr. Suleiman four times. βThe first appointment was an introductory visit, but I went back because I needed to change medications,β says David. βAfter that, Dr. Suleiman scheduled a follow-up appointment to check on my progress and Iβve continued to see him as needed since.β
He adds, βIt is really nice to be able to see the same doctor each time and appointments are not stacked right on top of each other, so he has always enough time for me. Previously, I got my primary care at a clinic and I could never get same-day or even next-day appointments. Also, I usually did not see the same doctor each time. It is really nice to build a relationship with just one doctor.β
Dr. Suleiman says that for the average patient, navigating getting the right amount of insurance to supplement a Your DPC membership can be tricky. But thankfully, Your DPC partners with insurance specialists who can build custom insurance plans to avoid redundancies between insurance coverage and Your DPC membership services.
In fact, one specialty of Your DPC is to help self-employed people and small business owners create self-funded insurance plans through Your DPC to provide health insurance to themselves and their employees.
βWeβve been able to save families nearly $1,000 a month and many businesses up to 50% while providing a higher level of care,β says Dr. Suleiman proudly.
Can Medicare patients join Your DPC? The answer is not now, but soon.
βAt this time, Medicare recipients are able to join our waiting list,β says Dr. Suleiman. βOur office has to opt out of Medicare and that process takes some time. Medicare does not cover DPC so Medicare patients will need to sign a one-time waiver to declare that Medicare should not be billed for our primary care services. But, Medicare will still cover any laboratory testing, imaging, medications or hospitalizations prescribed by our office.β
He adds that, similar to people with HDHP insurance, people with Medicare, βcan save money by switching to Plan A and Plan D coverage only and put the money saved by not paying for Part B towards a Your DPC membership.β
Call or e-mail Your DPC to schedule a free initial visit or get more information about tailored insurance plans. Right now, Dr. Suleiman is waiving the $100 enrollment fee during the grand opening of his new office, which ends July 1st. But, if you mention the Neighborhood News at your first appointment, Dr. Suleiman will extend that offer to you until August 1.
Your DPC is located at 8907 Regents Park Dr., Suite 370. The office is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Fridays. For more information, call (813) 563-9542, visit YourDPC.net, e-mail info@yourdpc.net
