carrollwood - vol. 2, issue 3, march 2014

By Alexis Selby

A staple in the Carrollwood com-munity, for the past 23 years O’Brien’sIrish Pub & Grill has been givingTampa Bay residents a true taste of theIrish Culture. A local hangout wherepatrons can enjoy live music, fun en-tertainment, a great selection of craftbeers and specialty cocktails and a di-

verse menu of exceptional food,O’Brien’s certainly has something foreveryone! Whether you come to cheeron your favorite sports team on one oftheir big screen TVs, relax on theiroutdoor patio while taking in thebeautiful Florida weather, or enjoy alow-key family meal, O’Brien’s offersall this and more!

The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 14,000 Homes In Carrollwood, Lake Magdalene & Avila

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:Pony Party Weekend at Bill Currie Ford...............3Community Calendar.......................................4-5News Briefs.......................................................6-7Carrollwood Day School...................................8-9Comprehensive Foot And Ankle Center.........12-13Whole Foods Market Carrollwood................14-15Taste of Carrollwood.........................................17Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue of TB..............18-19Local Spotlight! - Florida Central Credit Union......26The Purrfect Experience For Your Cat................30

Vol. 2, Issue 3, March 2014

Neighborhood NewsNeighborhood News®

C A R R O L L W O O D A R E A

& LifestylesYour neighborhood. Your magazine.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTAMPA FL

PERMIT 1185

By Alexis Selby

Whether your child’s dream is toperform on Broadway, dance at Dis-ney, play in an orchestra, or be a staron TV, anything is possible at MaryJo’s Performing Arts Academy.

Dedicated to providing the toolsand life lessons necessary for studentsto effectively perform and compete inthe national marketplace, for 35 yearsMary Jo’s Performing Arts Academy(MJPAA), located at 15906 MapledaleBlvd. in Tampa, has consistentlytrained some of the best performers inthe nation, teaching them not onlyhow to succeed in their studies, buthow to succeed in life. “We are all ed-ucators,” says Mary Jo Scanio, the

Artistic Director at MJPAA. “What weteach our students doesn’t just helpthem here at the Academy – it helpsthem with life. We are not only teach-ing them about the performing arts,but teaching them how to learn.”

The mission at Mary Jo’s is toprovide excellence in performing artseducation while instilling in each stu-dent the confidence and self-esteemnecessary to succeed in any field theychoose, and with over 200 classes aweek, including instruction in dance,acting, musical theater and voice, ifyou or your child has a dream to per-form, chances are MJPAA has the classand time schedule to meet your needs.“What we offer here isn’t available

See “Mary Jo’s” on page 28.

O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill –Fun for the Whole Family!

See “O’Briens” on page 22.

Discover the Difference at Mary Jo’s Performing Arts Academy

2 MARCH 2014 Carrollwood Area Neighborhood NewsFor Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

MARCH 2014 3Carrollwood Area Neighborhood News For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 14,000households in zip codes 33618, 33624 & 33613

220 Safford Ave. S. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Phone: (813) 928-6124; Fax: (727) 942-2432Advertising E-mail:

[email protected] E-mail:

[email protected]© 2014 Carrollwood Neighborhood News is published by M Selby Publications, LLC.

Nothing that appears in Carrollwood NeighborhoodNews may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, with-out permission. Opinions expressed by Carrollwood Neigh-borhood News writers are their own and do not reflect thepublisher’s opinion.

The management of Carrollwood NeighborhoodNews is always happy to accept outside editorial sub-missions to the paper. Please call for outside editorial sub-mission and advertisement deadlines.

Carrollwood Neighborhood News will consider pre-viously non-published outside editorial submissions if theyare double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Carroll-wood Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/orreject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guar-antees regarding publication dates. Carrollwood Neighbor-hood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Carrollwood Neighborhood News reserves the rightto edit and/or reject any advertising. Carrollwood Neighbor-hood News is not responsible for errors in advertising be-yond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, not forthe validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

Carrollwood Neighborhood News & Lifestyles ispublished by M Selby Publications, LLC.

PublisherMatt SelbyAdvertising SalesJim O’ReillyLinda ViegaMike BirdAccounting ManagerAlexis SelbyMarketing & DevelopmentAshley KnoblachArt DirectorTony SicaGraphic ArtistsDat X. Do

EditorAlexis SelbyCorrespondentsErin AldrichJulie KanehlLenay RuhlMarcy SanfordPamela SicaKatie ThomasKim ThomasDara Tucker

Come join us April 18th and 19thfor the Bill Currie Ford Pony PartyWeekend! This event celebrates the50th Anniversary of the Ford Mustangwhile benefitting the Children’s Can-cer Center. There will be two events,both of which are sure to be a blast!The night event, “Get Down andPony Up”, will be a groovy 70’s partyfeaturing live music by the Black Hon-keys’. “Help a Kid drive a Pony”, thefamily-friendly day event will follow onApril 19th. Kids of all ages want apony, and for the bigger kids outthere, a 50th anniversary edition Mus-tang is sure to do the trick - which bythe way, will be out on Bill Currie'ssales lot before you know it! Boastinga strong new look, new engine choice,improved transmissions and betterhandling, the 50th Anniversary Mus-tang will not disappoint!

Join Us ForPony PartyWeekend AtBill Currie

Ford!


Community Calendar 11th annual Tour de Village2014 5K Run and 1 MileFun Walk

Carrollwood Village Phase I, II &III Homeowners Associations invitesyou to join your friends and neighborsat Tour de Village 2014.

Run or walk over the greens,through the woods and around largeponds, crossing through the heart ofCarrollwood Village. The 5K Run ischip-timed and both distances are en-tirely on grass. Official 5K race resultswill be posted at coolrunning.comand bigdawgrunnin.com.

The event will be held on Satur-day, March 15 at the Carrollwood Vil-lage Millennium Garden, located at4535 West Village Drive in Tampa.The 5K run will start at 8:30 a.m., andthe 1 Mile Fun Walk will start at 9:30a.m. A portion of the event proceedswill benefit Friends of HillsboroughCounty Animal Services

Race RegistrationDownload your entry form under

Events at www.carrollwoodvillage.comand mail it in with the appropriate reg-istration fee by March 7th. Entryforms are also available at The UPS

Store at 13014 North Dale Mabry,SW corner of Fletcher/N Dale Mabry,and many other local shops and gyms.Call for locations.

AwardsIn the 5K, trophies are given to

the overall male and female winnerand custom medals three deep in agegroups from 10 & under to 70 &over. The top ten 1 Mile walkers re-ceive a medal.

Goodies & RaffleThe first 200 registered partici-

pants receive a race t-shirt and goodiebag. Complimentary bottled water,fruit, and a variety of snacks for every-body. After the awards ceremony stayfor the great door prize raffle. All reg-istered runners are eligible to win.

Volunteers NeededTo volunteer for various duties

before and during and the event,please pre-register at www.carroll-woodvillage.com (Volunteering),email volunteer coordinator Gayle Hillat [email protected] , orcall 813/892-2545. All volunteers re-ceive refreshments and a Tour de Vil-

lage 2014 t-shirt. Adults and Teensneeded.

Sponsorship OpportunitiesSponsorships range from a $300

Tour Sponsorship with valuable bene-fits for your business, to goodie andraffle item donations for the runners.Sponsors are also invited to come on-site and personally give away promo-tional items, product samples andbrochures, etc. to spectators and run-ners. For details, see the sponsor op-portunities form posted under Eventsat www.carrollwoodvillage.com.

Spectators WelcomeJoin the cheering section at the

course, visit the event sponsors onsiteand grab some of their free giveaways,as Carrollwood Village Home OwnersAssociation launches their 11th annualTour de Village. Friends of Hillsbor-ough County Animal Services volun-teers will bring animals available foradoption! Plan to arrive in time for the5K start at 8:30 a.m. and stay for theawards ceremony around 10:00 a.m.

For more information pleasevisit www.carrollwoodvillage.comor contact event manager MariaHochwarth-Alvarez at (813) 842-7066 or email [email protected].

Carrollwood Players TheaterPresents the Bermuda AvenueTriangle

Located at 4333 Gunn Highway inTampa, the Carrollwood Players The-ater proudly presents the Bermuda Av-enue Triangle, which will run March 21through April 12 on Fridays and Satur-days at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.For more information or to make areservation please call (813) 265-4000or visit www.CarrollwoodPlayers.org.

Monthly Multiple SclerosisSupport Group at LakeMagdalene UnitedMethodist Church

The next monthly Multiple Scle-rosis Support Group will meet at LakeMagdalene United Methodist Church,located at 2902 W. Fletcher Ave. inTampa, on March 4th at 7 p.m. Themeeting will host speaker Darla Freed-man-Levay from USF, who will be ad-dressing issues of cognitive problemsand techniques to better improvememory issues. For more informationplease contact Rita Schallenberger at(813) 961-5510.

March Events and Activitiesat the Carrollwood CulturalCenter

The Carrollwood Cultural Cen-


ter, located at 4537 Lowell Road inTampa, will host several events and ac-tivities in March, including:

Marches in MarchWhen: Sunday, March 2 at 4 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: The Carrollwood Windsconcert band, under the direction ofKim Meider, will perform popularmarches in this annual spring event.Admission: $10-$16

Classes StartWhen: Week of March 3Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: A new session of classeswill start the week of March 2. Classopportunities include drawing, paint-ing, ceramics, dance, guitar, piano,drum, yoga, theatre, digital photogra-phy, foreign language, computer skills,and more. Tuition varies per class andmost classes will run once a week for sixweeks. Call (813) 269-1310, or visitCarrollwoodCenter.org for a schedule.

Art Opening and Reception:University Village ArtistsWhen: Friday, March 7 at 5 p.m.-7 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in Tampa

More Info: Residents from UniversityVillage will display their works in theGallery at Carrollwood Cultural Cen-ter through March. Many of the ex-hibitors are accomplishedaward-winning artists. The Gallery willalso display works by featured artistBarbara Kazanis.Admission: Free

North Tampa MarketWhen: Saturday, March 8 at 10 a.m.to 2 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: The outdoor market willinclude fresh food, hand-crafts and livemusic. For more information, visitwww.tampabaymarkets.com.Admission: Free

Rumplestiltskin with A.C.T.for YouthWhen: Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore info: Adapted from the story bythe Brothers Grimm, this classic usesthe elaborate masks and comic charac-ters of Commedia Del’Arte (ItalianRenaissance Comedy) along with au-dience participation to tell the tale ofthe magical little man who can spin

See “Calendar” on page 27.


Carrollwood Cultural CenterHiring Teachers and CampInstructors

The Carrollwood Cultural Cen-ter, located at 4537 Lowell Road inTampa, is hiring teachers and camp in-structors. The arts-based nonprofit or-ganization currently offersapproximately 60 classes during anygiven time, ranging from art toZumba®, and would like to doublethat number by the end of the year.

The Center is equipped with stu-dio space for art (painting, drawing,etc.), ceramics, computer-based pro-grams, dance, piano and theatre, inaddition to several multi-purposerooms for other classroom-orientatedcourses like foreign language and cre-ative writing.

Each year, the Center introducesnew classes contingent upon who isavailable to teach. Several classes havebeen part of the curriculum since2008.

“We want to build our faculty sowe can offer more options to our stu-dents,” said education outreach direc-tor Helen Michaelson. “Several of our

classes consistently sell out, so to beable to increase the days and times aclass is offered will provide a wonder-ful service to the public. In addition,we are always getting requests fromthe public to grow our curriculum. ”

Students submit requests for any-thing from acrylic painting to Spanish.Dance, piano, watercolor painting anddrawing are also popular.

“Often, an instructor will ap-proach us with a subject they are qual-ified to teach,” said Michaleson.“Sometimes we will try the class andcome to find people really gravitate to-ward it. Several of our more popularclasses started that way.”

While the majority of the classescurrently offered target adults, theCenter has a need to increase thenumber of classes offered to toddlers,elementary school children, tweensand teenagers.

“We have some classes for chil-dren, but we can certainly offermore,” Michaelson said. “We need in-structors who are available in theevenings and Saturdays and know howto work with children.”

In addition, the Center is alsosearching to qualified instructors tohelp with the Summer Camp pro-gram. The camp program, much likethe classes, is also arts-based with aneducational component. Camp willrun for nine weeks starting June 9 andconcluding August 15; however, indi-vidual instructors are not required tobe available for the entire summer.(The Center will not offer camp June30 through July 4.)

Michaelson is looking for peoplewho are experts in their particular sub-ject with a proven ability to instruct.Interested camp instructors shouldapply as soon as possible to be consid-ered. Interested teachers who want toteach throughout the year can applyany time.

For more information, pleasecall Helen Michaelson at (813)269-1310 or email a cover letterand resume [email protected].

X Team Partner Florida Re-tail Partners Brokers 10,000Square Foot Rarehues Lease

Florida Retail Partners, an XTeam partner, represented RareHuesin leasing 10,000 square feet in Car-rollwood Center on North DaleMabry Highway at Linebaugh Ave.The modern vintage market is open-ing its first location this spring.

Kalyn Brandewie, Founding Part-ner with Florida Retail Partners repre-sented RareHues. “RareHues willput a new twist on antique shopping. Ican’t wait to see their store. It will fuseold and new by creating a contempo-rary design with nostalgic charm,” saidBrandewie. “They are taking the for-mer Eckerd/Golf Locker space in oneof the best located centers in Carroll-wood. The central location will pullfrom several Tampa submarkets.”

RareHues was created whenowner Jen Carreno, a branding spe-

Community News Briefs


cialist, realized the age-old antiquingexperience needed revamping. Pullingtogether Carreno’s vision forRareHues are ROJO Architecture andgeneral contractor Bay Area BuildingSolutions.

RareHues is antiquing for the21st century customer. The shop willbe full of treasures curated from pre-mier local dealers, artists and crafts-men including home furnishings,accessories and gifts. “We visualize thisto be a place where people come to-gether over unique treasures and sto-ries that warm the heart,” statedCarreno.

RareHues will also offer:Do-it-yourself workshops

demonstrating how to makehandmade crafts and heartfeltgifts.

A design center featuringlocal interior decorators for cus-tomers looking for full service.This section will showcase newvintage inspired pieces that canbe custom ordered to comple-ment the nostalgic goods form

the market.Two art gallery sections in-

corporating original worksfrom local artists exclusively.

Year-round market eventscomplementing the sensory ex-perience through partnershipswith a local coffee/tea shop andlocal music artists.

“RareHues will be a place whereold treasures attract young families,”said Carreno who brings 13 years’ ex-perience in the creative field to hernew venture. While Senior VP/Cre-ative Director at 22squared (formerlyWestWayne), the largest independentad agency in the Southeast, her clientsincluded Publix, Marriott, Toyota andCelebrity Cruises.

For more information aboutRareHues visit www.rarehues.com.

About Florida Retail PartnersX Team partner Florida Retail

Partners was founded in 1997 andcurrently has four Florida Retail RealEstate Specialists all with over twentyyears of experience. The company’sfocus has always been on retail tenant

and landlord representation onFlorida’s West Coast and CentralFlorida. This exclusive focus on retailincludes diverse assignments rangingfrom tenant representation, land salesand consulting to leasing of both dis-tressed properties in need of turn-around and upscale mixed-use projectswith very specific co-tenancy parame-ters. Visitwww.floridaretailpartners.com formore information.

About X TeamX Team is an international alliance

of retail real estate specialists with of-fices located in major cities throughoutthe U.S., Canada and Europe. X Teampartners average more than 20 years ofindustry experience, with expertise inmajor markets worldwide, specializingin tenant, property anddeveloper/landlord representation,workout services, property dispositionsand retail investments. X Team servicesinclude transaction negotiation, portfo-lio analysis, lease valuations, acquisi-tions, and asset assessment andvaluation. For more information, pleasevisit www.xteam.net.


Become a Life-Long Learnerat Carrollwood Day School…Education With Character!

By Pam Sica

A gorgeous tree-lined drive beck-ons you to further explore this sprawl-ing campus hidden just off BearssAvenue. As you approach the entranceof the main building, you’ll encountera park bench that bears an inscriptionquoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,which says it all. “The function of edu-cation is to teach one to think critically.

Intelligence plus character – that is thegoal of education.” Purposefully, thatis Carrollwood Day School’s mission:“To integrate a challenging academicexperience with a strong character edu-cation initiative to prepare lifelonglearners equipped to succeed in anever-changing world.” The first Inter-national Baccalaureate institution estab-lished in Florida, CDS is also the sixthschool in the United States to hold allthree IB designations:

PYP - Primary Year Programme(3yrs to 5th grade)MYP - Middle Year Programme(6th grade to 10th grade)DP – Diploma Programme(11th and 12th grades)

Imagine an environment wherechildren are nurtured to excel andthrive. The CDS faculty strives to fos-ter a risk-taking mentality in all its

charges by emphasizing critical-think-ing skills from the start. There is truthto the old saying that if at first youdon’t succeed, try, try again! Learninghow to take calculated risks, gracefullyaccepting failure and using it to youradvantage promotes out-of-the-boxideas to percolate throughout theschool and ultimately, within each stu-dent’s life experience.

Diversity is heartily embraced and

celebrated at CDS. It is the key com-ponent of the team building practicethat sets this school apart from anyother. Finding out what makes each ofus different from one another and howthat strengthens the team as a whole isa life skill that will serve each studentwell into his or her future. For in-stance, there are twelve visitors fromBeijing between the ages of two andten who are currently attending CDS,

Hidden just off Bearss Avenue, the beautiful, sprawling campus at Carroll-wood Day School is home to some of the very best and brightest in Tampa Bay.


who were encouraged to help the en-tire school celebrate the recent ChineseNew Year by singing native songs andsharing their cultural practices. Therewere festive decorations aboundingwith a parade to punctuate the event,eliciting sweeping applause. It wasmost certainly a lively learning experi-ence for all to share. I understand thatthere are IB students from Spain andBrazil attending this year as well,adding Latin flavor to the mix!

When, if ever, have you witnessedopen lockers in a middle or high schoolsetting? Clearly, I was surprised, as I

learned how to use a combination lockby the 5th grade in New York! Charac-ter education is heavily stressed atCDS, where trust building is a part oflife and the expectation of respect forothers’ property is paramount. I wasreadily impressed by the manners ex-hibited by several students who walkedby during our open door meeting.Big, wide smiles were emblazoned ontheir faces while they waited to be ac-knowledged, which is certainly a testa-ment to the school’s mission in action.Coupled with the stimulating academ-ics offered here, students grow to love

the challenge of learning how to suc-ceed without impediment.

Exposure to computer technologyis essential in today’s world. It starts atthe Early Childhood Center on CaseyRd. at age three! Elementary gradeson the Bearss campus have access toMac carts and computers until theystart carrying their own IPads in thefourth grade. There are computer labsfor each Programme level, where Ele-mentary children are taught introduc-tory computer science, Middle schoolgrades learn design technology andwork on presentations and HighSchool students are taught coding andweb design. With that under theirbelts, these talented kids continue onto develop new businesses, completewith business plans, logos and advertis-ing media, to boot! It’s cool to besmart at CDS!

Most folks agree that music andart studies are a fundamental part of awell-rounded education. At CDS,students learn about beat, rhythm andpitch by singing and playing instru-ments in the early grades. They arethen exposed to music from a rangeof times and cultures, music notation,culminating in the composition oftheir own masterpieces. In the highergrades, you can even be part of a rockband – what fun! For the actors oncampus, there is an award-winningthespian troupe to join. From what Ihear, the highly accredited Audio Vi-sual department is also turning outsome amazing students, especiallyconsidering the size of the school.

A well-rounded education wouldbe lacking without school sports as anintegral part of the mix. There aremany offered at each Programmelevel, including Football, Volleyball,Golf, Cross-Country, Cheerleading,Swimming, Soccer, Basketball, Trackand Field, Baseball, Softball, Tennis,Wrestling, Equestrian and more. Stu-

dents are encouraged to try out earlyin their school careers, where they candevelop basic skills, then excel withpractice. Students who participate onteams in the higher grades competewell against their peers (as is wit-nessed by the plethora of trophies ondisplay). In keeping with the school’smission, the soccer coaches emphasizethe need to give back to the commu-nity by taking their teams down tovolunteer at Metropolitan Ministries.That is team building in action!

Before and after classes, schoolassistance is available that reaches outto the whole student population. Inaddition, there are homework labs,senior speech prep groups, art labs,karate lessons, career planning ses-sions, as well as other student-drivenclubs like cricket! As you can see,there’s likely to be something forevery student’s taste or need. Sufficeit to say, that when you have had theprivilege to graduate from Carroll-wood Day School, you are wellequipped to pursue a college career.As a matter of fact, with an IBdiploma, you are guaranteed thehighest level of the Bright FuturesScholarship. It is not unusual forprestigious colleges to actively recruitthese young folks for their athletic,arts and academic programs. It’s nowonder... they are prepared to succeed!

Carrollwood Day School’s MainCampus (1st through 12th grade) islocated at 1515 W. Bearss Avenue inTampa and can be reached at (813)920-2288. Their Early ChildhoodCampus (ages 2 – 5 years) is locatedat 1206 Casey Road in Tampa,(813) 963-2388. For more informa-tion please visit their website atwww.CarrollwoodDaySchool.org.Both campuses welcome you to con-tact the Admissions Department toschedule a personal tour.

At Carrollwood Day School, students experience an environment where they are nurtured to excel and thrive. Their programmes are by far some of the best inthe nation, and their curriculum offers a huge diversity in classes, from sports to music, to computer technology. The stimulating academics offered at CDS

ensure that each student will grow to love the challenge of learning how to succeed without impediment.

Carrollwood Area Neighborhood News For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com MARCH 2014 11


By Alexis Selby

Often over-looked and taken forgranted, our feet are two of the mostvaluable components of our bodies.Yet, quite often enough they aresomething we tend to neglect –that is until, a problem arises.

As a long-distance runner, my feettend to take a beating, and unfortu-nately, last year they suffered a de-ha-bilitating injury which left me unableto run, and barely able to even walk. Iwas heartbroken – in an instant all myhard work and training had gonedown the drain. The only positivething in all this, was that I knew exactlywho to call – Comprehensive Foot andAnkle Center (CFAC), located in theOakstead Professional Center on St.Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

I first met Dr. George Tja-maloukas, DPM, FACFAS and hiswife Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas, DPM,FACCWS, the owners of CFAC, a fewyears back when I wrote an articleabout their practice for the OdessaArea Neighborhood News – I was re-ally impressed! Not only were they ex-tremely knowledgeable andinformative, but also really nice anddown-to-earth. Further to that, aftertheir story ran, we received so muchpositive feedback from people in thecommunity who absolutely loved thedoctors and raved about how greatthey were.

From the moment I called theiroffice to set up an appointment, Iknew I had made the right decision!The front desk was extremely accom-modating and helpful – not to men-

tion so positive and nice – and wasable to get me an appointment forthat same day! Upon arrival shegreeted me with a warm welcome andI was instantly made to feel comfort-able and relaxed. “Our staff is very im-portant to us at Comprehensive Footand Ankle Center, and patients can al-ways expect a smile, as well as a warmhello and goodbye,” states Dr. Kathy.

The quality care continues afteryou leave the waiting room, and certi-fied x-ray technicians and medical as-sistants will treat you with the utmostcare and compassion.

After my vitals were taken, I wastaken to one of the patient rooms, andat that point I saw Dr. George. Usingan ultrasound and x-rays (which theydo in-house) Dr. George was able todiagnose my condition instantly – andat that point I found out I had a majortear in my plantar fascia in my rightfoot and plantar fasciitis in the other(the plantar fascia is ligament that con-nects your heel bone to your toes, andplantar fasciitis is a series of small tearsto that valuable ligament). He was veryinformative and helped me to betterunderstand what could have causedthis and how to prevent further injuryin the future. I was so impressed withmy experience – not only were theyable to get me in right away, but I hada definite diagnosis within 10- minutesof arriving for my appointment!

At Comprehensive Foot andAnkle Center the doctors go after theroot cause of your problem, not justthe symptoms, allowing them to fullyunderstand what issues their patientsmay be having. “We spend quality timewith our patients,” states Dr. Kathy.

“We want them to leave feeling happyand satisfied, as well as educated, withthe care they have received.”

CFAC instantly gave me some-thing to look forward to – my recov-ery. Before leaving Dr. George hadthe medical assistant wrap my feet tooffer support to my plantar fascia andgave me exercises to better stretchand strengthen those ligaments. Fol-lowing my appointment I also camein once a week to get it re-wrapped asto continue the healing process. Grad-ually I recovered, and after a 4months I was finally able to return torunning. Thanks to the amazing staffand doctors at Comprehensive Footand Ankle Center, I was able to re-sume my beloved past time! I don’tbelieve I would have been able to doit without them!

About the Doctors: George Tjamaloukas , DPM,

FACFAS and Kathy Tjamaloukas,DPM, FACCWS, owners of Compre-hensive Foot and Ankle Center, are

extremely knowledgeable regardingthe various facets of medicine withinpodiatry and have many years of expe-rience working as Podiatrists in theTampa Bay Area. Dr. George and Dr.Kathy are very well versed on thefunction and anatomy of the body as awhole, as they have spent many yearsstudying the entire body before focus-ing on the specific field of podiatry;which specializes on all ailments belowthe knee.

After completing her undergradu-ate studies at Loyola University inChicago, with a major in Biology,earning a Bachelor of Sciences withHonors, Dr. Kathy studied at the Dr.William M. Scholl College of PodiatricMedicine at Rosalind Franklin Univer-sity of Medicine and Science inChicago. She graduated in 2004 inthe top 5% of her national graduatingclass with her Doctorate in PodiatricMedicine and went on to completethree years of foot and ankle surgicaltraining at the Northwest MedicalCenter residency program in Margate,

Comprehensive Foot And Ankle CenterIs A True Asset To The Community!


Florida. Dr. Kathy is very well edu-cated in the care and treatment ofchronic, non-healing wounds; usingsplit thickness skin grafts, flaps, andsynthetic grafts and is board certifiedas a Diplomate by the American Boardof Wound Management and is a Fel-low of the American College of Certi-fied Wound Specialists.

Dr. George graduated with hon-ors from St. Francis University inJoliet, IL, majoring in Biology and hetoo went on to study Podiatric medi-cine at the Dr. William M. Scholl Col-lege of Podiatric Medicine at RosalindFranklin University of Medicine andScience in Chicago. In 2003, he alsograduated in the top 5% of his nationalgraduating class with his Doctorate inPodiatric Medicine. After graduationDr. George completed a three yearsurgical residency at JFK Medical Cen-ter in Atlantis, Florida. He is alsoboard certified in Foot and Recon-structive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery bythe American Board of Podiatric Sur-

gery and is a Fellow of the AmericanCollege of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

Dr. George offers Total AnkleJoint Replacement for patients withsevere arthritis of the ankle, as a re-sult of previous trauma or rheuma-toid arthritis. Total AnkleReplacement is an alternative toankle fusion, to promote mobilityand range of motion & function.

Foot & Ankle Trauma is also afield that Dr. George has extensive ex-perience in: fractures of the ankle &foot, motor vehicle injuries & sportsinjuries, as well as limb salvage. Spe-cializing in Sports Medicine, Dr.George treats a variety of patients insports teams from Children, Adultsand Professional Team Sports. He of-fers surgical and conservative treat-ment options for the injured athlete.Arthroscopy & conditions such assports-related ankle/foot sprains anduses minimally invasive proceduresusing arthroscopy.

In addition, the Doctors offer

State of the Art Laser Treatment forthe sole treatment of toe nail fungus& discolored nails with the use of the,FDA approved, PinPointe Footlasermachine. Currently Dr. George & Dr.Kathy are the only doctors to offerPinPointe Footlaser in the entireTampa Bay Area!

Whether you are an athlete tryingto mend a broken foot or a diabeticlooking for quality care, Comprehen-sive Foot and Ankle Center is theplace to go. From routine checkups totreatments for surgery, they areequipped to handle all your podiatricneeds. They offer many services in-cluding ankle and leg surgery includ-ing reconstructive surgery, Achillestendon, ankle instability, ankle sprains,arthritic foot and ankle care, athletes’foot, bunions, calluses, corns, crushinjuries, diabetic foot care, flat feet,fungus toenails, geriatric foot care,hammertoes, heel spurs, infections, in-grown toenails, injuries, metatarsalgia,neuromas, plantar fasciitis, poor circu-lation, venous and diabetic ulcers,warts and wounds.

Dr. Kathy and Dr. George, alsospecialize in providing quality diabeticcare and their vast knowledge, exten-sive training and friendly demeanor,ensures that you receive the best treat-ment in a positive atmosphere. Manydiabetics suffer from neuropathy, acollection of disorders that occurwhen nerves of the peripheral nervoussystem are damaged; causing pain andnumbness in the hands and feet andoften resulting in the loss of limbs. Ifyou suffer from this terrible diseasethere is hope, as the doctors at CFACwill work with you and do all they canto salvage your limbs and prevent am-putations. “Podiatry plays an integralpart of the team approach towards di-abetic limb salvage and diabetic care,”states Dr. George.

CFAC sells Dr. Comfort shoes,

the worldwide leading provider of dia-betic footwear, and also fits and sellscustom- molded orthotics, which arespecifically designed for each individ-ual patient’s foot. After giving you abio-mechanical exam ComprehensiveFoot and Ankle Center will make youyour own unique, custom-fit orthoticsthat will allow your joints and bonesof the foot to be in a more stable posi-tion while standing and in motion,helping to stabilize the weight bearingjoints of the legs (foot, ankle, knee,and hip), pelvis, and lower back.

CFAC does a majority of theirprocedures in- office. For major proce-dures requiring additional extensivecare the doctors do surgery in-hospi-tal. For your convenience, Compre-hensive Foot and Ankle Center workswith four hospitals throughout theTampa Bay Area, as to better serveyou. These hospitals are RegionalMedical Center Bayonet Point, TrinityMedical Center, North Bay Hospitaland New Tampa Surgery Center inWesley Chapel.

Client Anthony Nash says, “Ihave had surgery with both doctorsand would thoroughly recommendthem. They are highly professionaland knowledgeable as well as kindand respectful. Comprehensive Footand Ankle Center is truly an asset tothe community.”

Anthony is right – they really arean asset to the community, and with-out their specialized help and expertattentive care, I wouldn’t have beenable to recover as quickly as I did!

Comprehensive Foot and AnkleCenter is located in the OaksteadProfessional Center at 2650 NarniaWay in Land O' Lakes. OfficeHours are Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. -12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.For more information please call(813)-909-0865 or visitwww.cfacfootandankle.com.

DR. GEORGE TJAMALOUKAS,D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S.

DR. KATHY TJAMALOUKAS,D.P.M., F.A.C.C.W.S.


Money-Saving TipBuy cashews from the bulk bin.

You can purchase as little or as muchas you like and the price per pound inthe bulk section, is often cheaper thanthe pre-packaged pricing.

Ask A ProfessionalAs always I am available to help

you on your healthy journey. As theWhole Foods Market CarrollwoodHealthy Eating Specialist I have a vari-ety of services that I offer -- all ofwhich are free of charge! Visitwww.wholefoodsmarket.com, thenselect the “Carrollwood” store tolearn more.

Nicole Sampson is the HealthyEating Specialist at Whole Foods Mar-ket Carrollwood. She is a great re-source for free, easy tips on how to eathealthy on a budget. Keep an eye outfor her free classes and store tours atwholefoodsmarket.com/stores/car-rollwood or email her at [email protected] to set up ahealthy eating education event foryour school or workplace!

Cashew Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients• 1 pkg. whole wheat or gluten free

fettuccine noodles• 1/2 cup raw cashews• 1 1/2 cup water (from the pasta)• 1 teaspoon lemon juice• 3 garlic cloves• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

MethodCook noodles according to the

directions, but save 1 ½ cup the water.Place raw cashews (not roasted!) in afood processor and pulse until nuts arevery fine. Carefully add in the boilingwater; process until smooth. Add thelemon juice, garlic, olive oil and nutri-tional yeast; process again untilsmooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Additional add ins: red pepperflakes or cajun seasoning, add steamedbroccoli or fresh spinach at the end toget some good greens, grilled aspara-gus, tomato chunks, etc. The sky isthe limit, be creative and enjoy!

Ladies and gentlemen, kids of allages, allow me to present your newestget-healthy best friend: the cashew.

This versatile, mild-flavored,healthy nut should not be confusedwith any of its other family. Whileyou’ve seen cashews in trail mixes, en-ergy bars and on salads, you may havenot realized that this nut can be an in-credible dairy substitute and naturalthickening agent.

Ditch The DairyFor years, the residents of South

America and India have used cashewsto thicken, sweeten and add a “milky”flavor to their dishes. Cashews can re-place traditional dairy options inrecipes such as cashew sour cream,creamy cashew "risotto" butternutsquash or make a dessert as found insweetened cashew cream (Visitwholefoodsmarket.com/recipes forall the recipes bolded in this article).

Provide Healthy FatsIncorporating cashews in your diet

is a great way to include a food withlow saturated fat and absolutely nocholesterol! Make sure to buy nuts raw

and unsalted to keep them the nutrientpowerhouses they are. If you prefer adeeper flavor, roast or toast them your-self. Tossing cashews in a dry pan onmedium heat can help bring out the es-sential oils, give off a delicious fragranceand enhance the flavor in as little as twoto three minutes!

Do The DipCashews make an incredible base

for all kinds of dips and sauces. Bysoaking them for 30 minutes to eighthours, you can modify their texture.Try a raw cashew butter in place ofpeanut butter on your Health StartsHere multigrain bread for a quickbreakfast or opt for some carrotcashew spread for your next dinnerparty or game night.

Take Back Your Sweet ToothAs if cashews could not get any

better they are also a wonderful basefor sweet spreads. Try a creamylemon cashew frosting or the moremild creamy vanilla cashew frost-ing the next time you’re baking acake for your officemates or for abirthday party.

The Amazing Cashew at Whole Foods Carrollwood


By Matt Selby

Eat local, shop local, be local onMarch 30th at “A Taste Of Carroll-wood” presented by CABA. Locatedat the India Cultural Center, this eventis sure to highlight the very best busi-nesses that the wonderful Carrollwoodcommunity has to offer, with plenty of

FREE food vendors, activities and dy-namic presentations. Get ready for funand games for the whole family, in-cluding a scavenger hunt with greatprizes! If you enjoyed the Northdalefamily fun festival you will love theTaste Of Carrollwood! As of the printdate today we already have 46 ven-dors, including Macaroni Grill, Red

Elephant Pizza andGrill, Boston’s Gour-met Pizza, Evos,PDQ, and CarmelCafe to name a few!We fully expect 80-100, if not more,local vendors to par-ticipate in this event.Exhibitors are stillwelcome to registerand you don’t needto be a CABA mem-ber, although thereare plenty of incentives right now thatreally make your measly $300 annualCABA membership worth your while.If you’re an interested local business,registration is at www.usecaba.com.

The Sheriffs office will also be inattendance, showing off their Hum-V,registering bicycles, and even handingout gun locks for all those responsiblefirearm owners out there. The Eventsponsors for Taste of Carrollwood areWhole Foods Carrollwood, Home In-stead Senior Care, LAB3 Marketingand of course us, Carrollwood Neigh-borhood News and Lifestyles. The

expo booths will be filled with plentyof free goodies from all vendors alike,not just the food and beverage ven-dors. If you’ve been in the Tampa areafor a good while it’s probably prettysafe to say you’ve been to some kindof “Taste of” event and Dr. TommyLane of Lane family Chiropractic hasbeen working day and night with histeam to make sure even though this isthe first Taste of Carrollwood event itwill not disappoint!

For more information pleasevisit www.usecaba.com or contactDr. Lane at 813-968-42930.

Come Join Us At The First Ever Taste Of Carrollwood!

The India Cultural Center is located at 5511 Lynn Road in Tampa.


teer run and operates solely on supportfrom people in the community throughmonetary donations, volunteering,sponsorship of horses, and donation ofservices. Equestrian Inc.’s grain andhay expenses exceed $5,000 permonth. “As a 501 C3 charitable organ-ization, in order for us to continue ourwork and succeed at helping horses it isimportant for people to help out in anyway they can,” says Glenda. The organ-ization also provides community serv-ice opportunities for high school

students. Donations can be madethrough Paypal on their website atwww.EquestrianInc.org, or by checksmade payable to Equestrian Inc.

Advanced Equine Dentistry& Vet Services Inc.

Providing full-service mobile den-tal care for horses, Advanced EquineDentistry & Vet Services Inc. is an ex-traordinary company that out of thekindness of their hearts, donates theirservices to Equestrian Inc. Horse Res-cue, and on my previous visit I had theopportunity to witness a much-neededtooth extraction on a beautiful horsenamed “Which Way Do I Go”. Oper-ated by Dr. Richard Grist, C.EQ.D.and Dr. Jay Clifford DVM, for the past7 years Advanced Equine Dental hasbeen providing the ultimate equinedentistry experience throughoutFlorida and Georgia. “It is because ofpeople like Rich and Jay that we areable to do what we do for horses,” saysGlenda. Advanced Equine Dentistry is100% mobile and the doctors operate

By Alexis Selbyl

Nestled just off Gunn Highwayamongst 15 acres of wooded farmlandand beautiful green fields lies a secretoasis and safe haven for some of life’smost magnificent creatures – horses.Dedicated to providing a rehabilitativesanctuary for abandoned, abused, un-wanted or slaughter-bound horses,Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue, anamazing non-for-profit organization,has been rescuing, rehabilitating andre-homing horses for the past 35 years.“Our mission is to bring people wholove horses together with the horses welove,” says Glenda Smith the founderof Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue ofTampa Bay.

Since starting Equestrian Inc.Horse Rescue, Glenda has made it hermission to stand up for neglected andabused horses, giving them a produc-tive second chance at life and the op-portunity to experience the true love ofa caring family. “I came out of thewomb loving horses and started ridingat 5 years old,” says Glenda. “I boughtmy first farm in Land O’ Lakes in 1978and bought a couple Arabian horses – Ilove the breed. I later found out abouthow overly bred their breed was andhow so many people were just aban-doning them and turning them loose inthe state forest. I never bought anotherhorse again; instead I started Eques-trian Inc. Horse Rescue as a way to savethese abandoned horses and provide aloving rehabilitative home. Wordquickly got out about how much Iloved the breed and that I was willingto help horses in need.” Glenda runs

Equestrian Inc. alongside her daughter,DeeAnn Smith and stable manager An-thio Marcos. Equestrian Inc.’s hands-on board of directors and dedicatedvolunteers make up the rest of theteam. “Everyone has such a passion forthe horses and it is obvious how muchthey love them by the way they forthem,” adds Glenda.

In recent years, Equestrian Inc.Horse Rescue has transitioned to help-ing more and more off the track Thor-oughbred horses, whom if not forEquestrian Inc. would otherwise bedestined for uncertain futures. ThroughBob Jeffries, head of the HBPA atTampa Bay Downs, trainers frequentlycontact Equestrian Inc. to give theirformer racehorses the opportunity of asecond career rather than turning themover to individuals who do not havetheir best interest at heart. Unfortu-nately, horse slaughter is a major con-cern in this area and throughout theUnited States.

Glenda also reaches out to thecommunity and encourages horse own-ers to call her if they are longer able toprovide proper care for their horses,whether it be because of monetaryproblems, health-related issues, or anyother reason. Her organization workswith the Sheriff’s Office and tries tohelp people who can no longer affordto feed their horses. In addition,Equestrian Inc. works in conjunctionwith other horse rescues in the area,and if they are unable to take yourhorse they will help you find a placethat will.

Founded upon Glenda’s love ofhorses, Equestrian Inc. is 100% volun-

Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue of Tampa Bay –Bringing People Who Love Horses Together With The Horses They Love

Glenda Smith, founder of Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue of Tampa Bay,makes it her mission to stand up for abused and neglected horses.


out of a completely self-contained 28'custom built, air-conditioned, equinedental aluminum trailer that containseverything necessary to treat all kindsof dental procedures, including surgery.The doctors have also designed andmanufactured many of their own toolsand equipment that they use for theirequine dentistry services. As their busi-ness continues to grow, the doctorshope to have at least 10 more unitsthroughout Florida within the nextyear, as to better serve horses in need.For more information about AdvancedEquine Dentistry & Vet Services Inc.please visit their website at www.Ad-vancedEquineDentist.com or call (727)484-4473.

How to Adopt a HorseAt Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue

they DO NOT sell horses, but insteadfacilitate the rescue, rehabilitation, re-training and re-homing of those ani-mals in their care. They do have somepermanent residents, but their mainfocus is to adopt out as many animalsas possible to loving, forever, informedhomes. If you are interested in adopt-ing a horse, they have a wonderful se-lection of horses to choose from – fromyoung to old, Arabians to Thorough-breds, companion horses to trail horses;they even have a donkey! Glenda says,“We depend a lot on people in thecommunity to get the word out aboutwhere we are and what we do. If some-one is interested in adopting a horse,

we believe in full disclosure – we willtell them everything we know aboutthe horse.” Equestrian Inc. is very par-ticular and careful about whom theyadopt horses out to and they do a greatjob of matching horses with a suitableowner based upon their personalitiesand what they are looking for in ahorse. Because of this, Glenda is veryproud to announce that they haveNEVER had a horse returned by anadopting owner!

Glenda is adamant about givingback to her community and does a lotof work with underprivileged chil-dren, as well as handicapped children.Throughout the year she also takes afew of her horses and ponies toschools in Tampa Bay and allows thechildren to groom them. She alsospends a lot of time educating youthsabout these magnificent creatures,and teaches them how to properlycare for a horse. Equestrian Inc. isavailable for field trips. “The futureof these animals lies in the hands ofchildren,” says Glenda. “It is very im-portant to educate our youths on howto treat horses properly so they cancontinue the cycle.”

Dynamite LessonsEquestrian Inc. offers a great les-

son program, including private andgroup lessons. Fun and educational,each class includes grooming, saddling,horse riding lessons and the care re-quired after riding.

Summer CampStarting in June, Equestrian Inc.

will also have an exciting 4-week sum-mer camp, which will be five days aweek from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. This awe-some camp will teach all aspects ofhorse care, including general horsecare, education on the anatomy ofhorses, witnessing visits by the veteri-narian and equine dentist, as well asnumerous opportunities to ride thehorses. All experience levels are wel-come; whether you are an advancedrider or new to horse care, these campsprove to be fun for all.

Trail RidesA new concept to Equestrian Inc.,

this wonderful horse rescue will now beoffering trail rides to the public. ForValentines Day my husband and I gotto experience these trail rides first-handand we had a blast. Riding Thorough-bred-racing horses, we took a ridearound the property, basking in thebeautiful nature. I was so excited – Ihave ridden horses before, but the fact

that I was riding on a retired racehorse,was awesome – where else are yougoing to get the opportunity to ride onthis type of horse? My mother and sisteraccompanied us on the trail ride andthey really enjoyed it as well. The staffat Equestrian Inc. was really informa-tive and Anthio gave us all lessons andtips before we got on the horse tomake us feel comfortable and relaxedwhile riding. Overall it was a great ex-perience! The trail rides are a $20 perperson donation and reservations arerequired so contact Equestrian Inc.today to schedule your next ride!

Equestrian Inc. Horse Rescue ofTampa Bay is located at 4902 Tim-berlan St. in Tampa. For more infor-mation or to make a donation, visitwww.EquestrianInc.org or call (813)407- 6805. Please make all donationchecks payable to Equestrian Inc.Donations can also be made throughPaypal on their website. Like themon Facebook to keep up to date withwhat they do for the community andfor the horses they rescue.

When visiting Equestrian Inc. it is not uncommon to come accrosssleeping goats and other cute animals!

For Valentines Day my husband and I (top) rode horses with my mother(left) and sister (right) and had a really great experience! Taking us for a

lovely tour around the property, the staff was really accomodating and nice!


The next specialwe sampled was their Conch FriedShrimp served with herb and cheesegrits. Coated in a crunchy conch bread-ing – which was fabulous by the way –the shrimp had a yummy flavor that wasreally quite unique. The grits were agreat accompaniment to the friedshrimp, and when scooped on top ofthe shrimp it made for a wonderfully de-licious combination.

As tasty as everything was, my fa-vorite of the night was their BaconWrapped Scallops. Featuring freshscallops wrapped in candied bacon,each bite was simply amazing!

For those looking for more tradi-tional pub fare, you will not be disap-pointed at O’Brien’s Pub & Grill.

Their extensive menu features a littlebit of everything, including traditionalfish & chips – fresh Atlantic Codhand-dipped in beer batter then friedgolden brown, pork dumplings –steamed dumplings drizzled with asweet sesame seed teriyaki glaze, andmy personal favorite, the drunkenshrimp – sautéed shrimp in a vodkabacon tomato cream sauce. Served ona bed of Basmati rice with fresh veg-etables, this is a perfect compliment toany one of their yummy libations.They also have a nice variety of salads,sandwiches, flatbreads, burgers, andspecialty Irish dishes, such as chickenpotpie, bangers and champ potatoesand so much more. From standardpub fare to traditional Irish dishes to

“At O’Brien’s we strive to create asimilar environment, in a traditionalsense, of what a Public House is inEurope; the focal point of a commu-nity; a place that is perfect for everyoccasion, where the community comesto hang out,” says General ManagerJoe Carey. “We have both an adultangle and a family angle; we just wanteveryone to feel cozy and loved.”

Moving from its previous locationa few years back, O’Brien’s is tuckedjust off of Dale Mabry in the DibbsCommercial Plaza at 15435 N DaleMabry Hwy in Tampa. Upon moving,owners Bernie and Teresa O’Brienmade some awesome new changes totheir beloved Pub, including a greatnew concept and even more deliciousfood. “By switching locations, thisgave us a new opportunity to changeour concept a bit,” says Joe. “Wehired a classically trained chef and re-vamped our menu. The response fromthe community has been great!”Their menu now includes freshseafood and premium cuts of steakand each weekend chef Patrick show-cases different up-scale specials –which by the way are fabulous! Thespecials change each week, and can be

found listed on every table, with up-coming specials mentioned at the bot-tom, so if you see a special that reallyinterests you, make sure you come inand try it before it is too late.

My husband and I sampled someof their specials just last week and tosay they were amazing would be anunderstatement. The first special wetried was their Filet Bordelaise servedwith au gratin potatoes. A prime cut,cooked to perfection and topped in asweet bordelaise sauce made of dryred wine, roasted shallots, caramelizedcarrots and lamb marrow, the filet wasso tender it literally melted in mymouth and the sauce was one of thebest preparations I have ever tried.

“O’Briens”Continued from page 1

From menu favorites like the Drunken Shrimp (L) tounique specials such as the Bacon Wrapped Scallops (R),

O’Brien’s has something for everyone!


upscale dining, O’Brien’s menu has anice variety and selection for everytaste and preference.

Live music is just another reasonwhy O’Brien’s Pub is such a great placeto hang out! Featuring different livebands every Thursday, Friday and Satur-day, their fun, upbeat atmosphere makesit the perfect spot for every occasion.“We have a diverse mix of nightlife, andfeature a nice variety of good bands andawesome music,” says Joe.

Looking for a great way to un-wind after a hectic day? Head outside,and grab a drink at their bar and letyour worries slip away. Featuring a

nice sized patio, O’Brien’s outdoorarea is ideal for groups of all sizes.O’Brien’s has over 30 beers on tap, in-cluding domestic and craft drafts, aswell as an excellent wine list and fullliquor bar. They have a regular HappyHour Mon. – Sat. 11a.m. – 7 p.m. aswell as a late night Happy Hour Sun.– Thurs. 11 p.m. – close. They have allthe major sports packages, and arepart of the Tampa Gator Club and theBay Area Black and Gold Club.

Since opening over two decadesago, O’Brien’s Pub & Grill has beenthe favorite hangout for many Carroll-wood residents, many of which who

have been coming here for the past 23years. Joe says, “We have many gener-ations of customers and families. Kidsthat were born when this place openedand have been coming here since theywere young are now all grown up anddrinking here. The loyalty is really as-tonishing. I even met my wife here!”

St. Patrick’s Day Party If you are looking for the ultimate

St. Patrick’s Day celebration, you havecome to the right place! JoinO’Brien’s the weekend before St.Patrick’s Day, where you will find cir-cus-sized tents boasting traditional

Irish fare, bagpipers, Irish dancers andfun for the whole family. This family-friendly event will have something foreveryone! Cost is $10 per person andproceeds will benefit the Tampa BayHarvest, a wonderful non-for-profitcharity that works towards endinghunger in our community.

O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill is lo-cated in the Dibbs Commercial Plazaat 15435 N Dale Mabry Hwy inTampa. They are open 11 a.m. – 3a.m. every day of the week. For moreinfo please call (813) 961-4092 orvisit www.ObriensPubsTampa.com.


straw into gold. Appropriate for fami-lies with children ages 5 to 12.Tickets:$6 members / $7 non-members /$24 Family Four Pack

Jazz With JimWhen: Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: Jazz with Jim is a monthlyconcert hosted by Jim Burge and TheJazz Directions. The concert is bestknown for fusing personal stories by

the musicians with popular jazz tunes.Tickets: $12-$18

Arts in the ParkWhen: Saturday, March 15, 10 a.m. to5 p.m. and Sunday, March 16, noonto 5 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: Arts in the Park is a two-day, outdoor art festival. The eventwill take place in the beautiful oak-shaded park behind the Center, whichwill be transformed into a vast out-door gallery of original artwork. Artsin the Park will include local artists,live entertainment, food vendors, and

hands-on activities for children.Admission: Free

Murder on the Nile byAgatha ChristieWhen: Friday, March 21 at 8 p.m., Sat-urday, March 22 at 8 p.m., Sunday,March 23 at 2 p.m., Friday, March 28at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 29 at 8p.m., Sunday, March 30 at 2 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: Fatal circumstances await anewlywed couple as they embark ontheir honeymoon voyage down theNile. Presented by MAS CommunityTheatre in association with Samuel

French, Inc. Directed by Annie Cerillo.Tickets: $15-$20

CCC Book ClubWhen: Monday, March 24 at 7 p.m.Where: Carrollwood Cultural Center,4537 Lowell Road in TampaMore Info: The CCC Book Club willdiscuss The Swan Thieves by ElizabethKostova. For more information, con-tact club leader Kathy Smith [email protected]: Free All performance tickets can be purchasedat the box office, online at www.Carroll-woodCenter.org, or by calling (813) 269-1310 or (813) 922-8167.

“Calendar”Continued from page 5


piano; whether it be because of the aidin cognitive development, or the confi-dence it instilled in me.

“As a mom of an 8 year old, I amso thankful of how Mary Jo's Perform-ing Arts Academy has positively im-pacted my daughter mentally,physically, socially, and emotionallysince the age of two,” says MelanieBottini, a Principal of a local elemen-tary school. “She is a straight-A studentat school and enjoys every minute at

the studio dancing, acting, singing andlearning lifelong lessons of self confi-dence, time management, and friend-ship. As a principal of a localelementary school, I am especially im-pressed with the performing arts cur-riculum taught by the talented andprofessional faculty. Through the ex-emplary leadership and artistic direc-tion of owner, Mary Jo Scanio, the

anywhere else,” says faculty memberKristin. “From the variety of the musicto the children’s classes to the vast se-lection of programs for students of allages, the tools they will learn here willlast a lifetime.”

Mary Jo’s Performing Arts Acad-emy has played an integral role in theTampa Bay community and has estab-lished an excellent reputation for provid-ing a safe and nurturing environmentwhere students can come to experiencethe performing arts in a positive waythat encourages them to grow to theirfull potential. Since she was young,Mary Jo has always had a passion fordance and she even majored in dance atUSF. She says, “I’ve danced all my lifeand I always knew I wanted to do someaspect of the performing arts. Mymother founded MJPAA in 1978 andthe academy has continued to providethe bay area with a strong foundation ofthe arts ever since.”

Being a musician myself, I can’tstress enough how important it is toget children involved with the perform-ing arts at a young age. Whether theytake music lessons, dance lessons or anyother avenue, time and time again,

studies have shownthe significance ofperforming arts andhow it so positivelyaffects a child’s cog-nitive developmentand learning capabil-ities. Further to that,by giving a child at-tainable goals andholding them ac-countable for theirstudies, the perform-ing arts teaches somany other impor-tant life lessons.“The physical, men-tal and emotionaldiscipline and enjoy-ment derived bystudying the arts areunmatched by anyother athletic en-deavor,” says Mary Jo.

I have played the piano since Istarted lessons at the age of 3, and forthe past 22 years the piano has been abig part of who I am. Taking lessonsnot only taught me accountability andresponsibility, but it also gave me confi-dence and self-worth. Playing the pianohas helped me in so many aspects oflife, and I fully believe I would not bewhere I am today, if it weren’t for the

“Mary Jo’s”Continued from page 1

Mary Jo’s Performing Arts Academy has establishedan excellent reputation for providing a safe andnurturing environment where students can excel

and grow to their full potential.


operations of this state of the art facil-ity, which includes seven studio class-rooms, two music rooms, a preschool,a dance boutique, and integrated tech-nology for excellent communication, isoutstanding. The tradition of highstandards of academic excellence in thearts and the genuine love of childrenmakes Mary Jo's Performing Art Acad-emy a local favorite!"

MJPAA is the home of The TampaBay Triple Threat Theatre, The Uni-versal Movement Performing ArtsCompany and the Classical Ballet of

Tampa. In addition, they have a Com-petitive Team, Performance Team andYouth Theatre. They offer a wide vari-ety of disciplines and levels provided forall ages, from recreational to thosewanting to pursue the arts as a career;their students range in age from 20months to senior adults. So whetheryou are an adult who has just realizedyour passion for dance, or a youth whohas had years of experience, there is aclass for you at MJPAA. “We offer a lit-tle bit of everything, and we don’t justfocus on the older students. Everybodyis important, whether you are here

once a week or your true passion andyour goal is to be a professional dancer,musician or performer,” says Mary Jo.

The academy also has a great sum-mer camp program starting in June.For more information please visit theirwebsite at www.MJPAA.com.

The faculty is comprised of caringhighly trained instructors who holdprofessional degrees and certificationsto teach in their specific disciplines.They represent years of professionalperforming careers that enhances anddevelops the programs and curriculum.All have had extensive teaching experi-

ence and are continually increasing theirknowledge through training work-shops, clinics and conventions. May Josays, “The instructors who teach in thechildren’s division are not only edu-cated in dance and performing arts, butall have degrees in child developmentand backgrounds in education. Wearen’t just a studio, we are an academy.”

In addition, the academy also hascameras in every dance room, so par-ents who wish to watch their childpractice can do so in a separate room,allowing for a distraction-free learningenvironment for every student.

With seven dance rooms, twomusic rooms, a snack bar, a boutiqueand special training equipment for ac-robatics and gymnastics, Mary Jo’s Per-forming Arts Academy truly is anall-encompassing training academy.

Mary Jo says, “I feel like we haveso much to offer and there really issomething for everyone. So, comediscover the difference at Mary Jo’sPerforming Arts Academy becauseyou’re not going to experience thisanywhere else!”

Mary Jo’s Performing ArtsAcademy is located at 15906Mapledale Blvd. in Tampa. Formore information please call (813)969-0240 or visit their website atwww.MJPAA.com.

This state-of-the-art Academy offers a wide variety of disciplines andlevels provided for all ages, from recreational to those wanting to pursue

the arts as a career.


By: Susan Mango, DVM, owner ofAll About Amore Cat Hospital

Veterinary visits for cats can bevery stressful. Many owners becomeanxious and this adds even more stressto the cat. There are ways to reduceboth your anxiety and kitty’s stresslevel. Let your cat always have accessto and be able to see their carrier.Make the carrier attractive and com-fortable for your cat. Place a soft blan-ket inside and remove the door. Soonyour cat will be taking afternoon napsin it. Next, look for a veterinary prac-tice that is cat friendly. Is it cats only?This would be your cat’s first choice.There are veterinary practices thathave separate entrances and waitingrooms for cats and dogs. This will re-duce some stress with your cat becausethey don’t have to sit next to a largedog that may be sniffing or lookinginto the cat’s carrier. Also, look for thepresence of Feliway diffusers in thewaiting area and exam rooms. Feliwayis a synthetic of the facial pheromonewhich cats leave as they rub theircheeks on you and their surroundings.

This scent tells them this territory issafe and secure. Next, if there arestainless steel exam tables, make surethere is a blanket on the table waitingfor your cat.

Once you find a practice whereyou and your cat are comfortable youwill be able to ensure your cat gets thepreventative medicine that they de-serve. Just because your cat is indoorsdoesn’t mean they don’t need to beexamined by your veterinarian. Acomplete physical examination is oneof the most important components ofyour cats’ healthcare. Cats are notori-ous for hiding illnesses and manytimes when they are taken to the vet-erinarian they are in critical condition.With a physical examination your vet-erinarian will evaluate your cat from itsnose to tail looking for any abnormali-ties or subtle changes. Your veterinar-ian may also recommend testing theblood and urine. Ideally the resultswill be normal and you then knowyour cat is healthy. If an abnormalfinding is discovered there is an oppor-tunity to make some changes for yourcat to help resolve the issue or in other

cases support yourcat if the findingsare not curable. Di-etary and support-ive care can beoffered to your catto help ensure along comfortablelife with early de-tection of some dis-eases. Call yourveterinarian todayfor an appoint-ment. Your cat willthank you by hope-fully living a longand healthy life.

All AboutAmore’ Cat Hos-pital is located at6178 GunnHighway inTampa. Theirhours are Mon.,Tues., and Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5:30p.m., Thursday 11a.m.-7p.m. andevery first and third Saturday from8 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are closed onWednesdays. For more information

or to schedule an appointmentplease call 813-280-2928 or visittheir website atallaboutamorecathospital.com. Youcan also find them on Facebook.

The Purrfect Experience For Your Cat

carrollwood - vol. 2, issue 3, march 2014

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