Carrollwood - Vol. 1, Issue 2, May 2013

By Marcy Sanford

In the past 19 years, the design experts atBudget Blinds have provided beautiful windowcoverings for more than 11,000 customers in theTampa Bay Area.. Their extensive variety ofblinds, shades, shutters, and draperies ensures thatthey can find the right window covering for anyhouse or office, and any budget. This month theyare celebrating their customers, with specialsthroughout the month of May and June to cele-brate the Grand Opening of their new location at

1208 W. Fletcher Avenue in Tampa. When Jim and Elaine Trotter were looking at

businesses to call their own, Budget Blinds stoodout, thanks to exceptional products and outstand-ing customer service. Elaine explains, “BudgetBlinds is the number one window covering fran-chise in North America. We are able to offer thehighest-quality products, backed by exclusive war-ranties with styles to fit any window and anybudget. Our design consultants and home installa-tion experts are committed to helping our clients

The Business & Dining Magazine Directly Mailed To 13,000 Homes In Carrollwood, Lake Magdalene & Avila

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:Editorial................................................3Community Calendar.............................4-5Community News Briefs.....................6-7Grout Tech.........................................8-9Carrollwood Summer Camps..........10-11Forward Thinking Initiatives...............12Northdale Family Fun Festival.............13

Vol. 1, Issue 2, May 2013

Neighborhood NewsNeighborhood News®

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

& Lifestyles

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTAMPA FL

PERMIT 1185

See “Blinds” on page 14.

By Alexis Selby

Carrying on the tradition of hisfamily, Bruce Boore knows what ittakes to run a successful restaurant, andHattie’s Café and Beanery is a true tes-tament to his family’s legacy. Locatedon the corner of Van Dyke road andDale Mabry Hwy. in the Van DykeCommons Plaza, Hattie’s has muchmore to it than meets the eye, andserves up some of the freshest pastries,

tastiest sandwiches and most flavorfulgourmet coffee in the Tampa Bay Area.Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner,Hattie’s Café and Beanery offers a nicevariety on their menu, including a se-lection of fresh fruit smoothies, and isthe perfect spot for healthy, deliciousfood any time of the day.

One happy customer writes, “Wehad a wonderful breakfast this morningat Hattie's. What a great addition to

See “Hattie’s” on page 16.

Hattie’s Café & Beanery –Fresh Food and

World-Class Coffee

Budget Blinds – The Best inCustom Blinds & Window Coverings

The Breakfast Club is a favorite among customers at Hattie’s, and features adelicious combination of eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and meat.

Draperies can change the way a home looks, addingheight and visual interest to any room.

2 MAY 2013 Carrollwood Area Neighborhood NewsFor Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

I would like to start off by sayinga gigantic thank-you to all of our won-derful readers, who have so warmlywelcomed us into the neighborhoodand took the time to write us and letus know what they thought of our firstpublication. Since our paper hit mail-boxes, we have had a tremendous re-sponse from our readers, who havehad only great things to say; and theemails and letters keep on coming –this really means a lot to us.

After putting all the names of thepeople who responded in a randomdrawing, we have selected two win-ners. In no particular order, the win-ners are Nancy Smith and TrudiSegal. Both Nancy and Trudi will re-ceive 2 tickets each to Big Cat Rescue,in addition to a $25 visa gift card,which they can use at their favoriterestaurant if they so wish.

Take a look at what they had tosay about the Carrollwood AreaNeighborhood News & Lifestyles:

Reader Nancy writes, “I just re-ceived my edition today, and loved it!I live in Carrollwood and thought thepublication was very classy and in-formative. I am looking for a roofingcompany, so the article on Arry's washelpful. I will call them for an esti-mate. Thank you.”

“What a wonderful paper,” writesTrudi. “I enjoyed reading everything.My favorite article was about Big CatRescue. I was there recently and thisreminded me that I want to go backagain soon. I would like to read aboutnew restaurants in Carrollwood. Iwent to two just this weekend – onewhere the old Friday’s was and onenext door to that. Thank-you andgood luck.”

Thank-you Nancy and Trudi forthe kind words; and, thank-you toeveryone who took the time to writeus. We really enjoy hearing what youhave to say, and encourage you tocontinue writing us and letting us

know how we are doing – we truly ap-preciate your feedback. Look for up-coming contests in future issues formore chances to win!

MAY 2013 3Carrollwood Area Neighborhood News For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 13,000households 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]© 2013 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 SalesHannah DalegowskiJim O’ReillyKen BurkeAccounting ManagerAlexis SelbyMarketing & DevelopmentAshley KnoblachArt DirectorTony SicaGraphic ArtistsDat X. Do

EditorAlexis SelbyCorrespondentsErin AldrichJulie KanehlLenay RuhlMarcy SanfordPamela SicaKatie ThomasKim ThomasDara Tucker

From The Editor Alexis Selby

Thank-You to All Who Responded!

Editor Alexis Selby and from ourfirst issue - the man behind the shades

- publisher Matt Selby.


Community Calendar Northside Dolphins YouthFootfall Registration

Teamwork, dedication, and prideare just a few words that describe themany lessons learned through youthsports. If you are interested in gettingyour child involved in a program thatteaches lifelong lessons while havingfun, the Northside Dolphins would liketo invite you to be part of our organi-zation for the upcoming fall season.

The Northside Dolphins YouthFootball is a Non-profit Organizationthat provides a supervised program ofcompetitive football and cheerleadingby way of volunteers to the youths of

the Tampa Bay area including, Carroll-wood and Northdale.

Practice for the fall season beginsMonday, July 29th, with the first gametaking place on Saturday, August 24.The ten game season runs throughNovember. No prior football or cheer-leading experience is necessary. All boysand girls ages 4 to 14 are welcome.

The organization consists of 5Football & Cheerleading squads, Flag– 4 to 6 years, PeeWee – 7 to 8 years,Super Midgets – 9 to 10 years, Midget– 11 to 12 years and Varsity – 13 to 14years. Once the season starts, Pee Weethrough Varsity squads practice every

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from6:15 until 8:15 p.m. and games areplayed on Saturdays, mornings or inthe afternoon. Flag Football andCheerleaders practice every Monday,Tuesday and Thursday from 6:15 p.m.until 7:30 p.m. with Wednesday nightgames. All practices are held in North-dale at the Dolphins Sports Complex,5354 Northdale Blvd.

The next open registrations willtake place on Wednesday, May 15 atthe Northdale Beef O Brady’s,15784N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL33624 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.and on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m.until Noon at the practice field, 5354Northdale Blvd. The Dolphin cheer-leaders will also be performing at Kid’sDay in Carrollwood Village on Satur-day, May 11. Registration costs forthe season are $275 for Pee Weethrough Varsity squads and $225 forFlag and Mighty Mite. New partici-pants must bring a copy of their birthcertificate. Multi-child discounts areavailable.

All required paperwork can befound at the Northside Dolphins web-site www.northsidedolphins.com foreasier and faster registration or youcan complete a packet at registration.Please check the Dolphins website foradditional open registration dates.

James Copeland - Celebrationof Retirement

Join retiring Chamberlain HighSchool teacher James Copeland onSunday, May 19 at 7 p.m. as he cele-brates 24 years of dedicated teaching.Anyone who sang under Jim Copelandat Chamberlain is invited to attend.The celebration will be hosted by thechurch, Greg Bowlus-'81, Sue Dun-nam Raines-'81, Marty Bearss-'71, andLouise Root Bearss.

A Few Personal Words FromJim Copeland

Since this is probably my lastMusic Worship Service, I would like tohave my students from ChamberlainHigh School in attendance and havethem sing “The Lord Bless You andKeep You” with my Forest Hills Choirthat night.

It was 55 years ago, when I was a22 year old, fresh out of college, look-ing for a job as a prospective teacher,when the Principal of ChamberlainHigh School called to tell me that hehad a choral position open. I talked tohim that afternoon and began teachingthe next day. I stayed at Chamberlainfor 24 years. My college choirs hadused “The Lord Bless You and KeepYou” to close every concert, so I didthe same thing. For 24 years, we closedevery concert with this work. When I


left Chamberlain in 1982 to becomeSupervisor of Secondary Music, I reallymissed having a choir. Bonnie, my wife,had been an Organist at Forest HillsPresbyterian Church since the early70’s. The Pastor at Forest Hills askedme to help him out by serving as theInterim Choir Director for a fewweeks. I stayed 30 years! I plan to retirefrom the church in August, 2013.

The Celebration will take placeat Forest Hills Presbyterian Church,located at 709 W. Linebaugh Avenuein Tampa.

10th Annual Kid's Day 2013at the Village

Join local vendors and wonderfulbusinesses across the Tampa Bay Area asthey get together to celebrate this year’ssummer vacation, as well as family andfriends, learning and leisure, and all thefun things to do around Tampa Bay.

Kid’s Day provides a great way forlocal businesses to promote themselvesto families in Carrollwood, and allowsfor families to come see all the greatthings that this area has to offer.

After the wonderful turn-out at lastyears event, The Village predicts thatover 1,500 plus people will attend thisyear’s extravaganza. Like last year, thisevent is open to the public and free toall, and visitors enjoy free parking. Therewill be free games, live entertainment,

stories, dance, crafts, magic, sports, ani-mals, and much more. There will also beselected arts and crafts, as well as plants,food and beverage vendors.

It's time to celebrate, and the 10thAnnual Kid’s Day will have plenty ofactivities and adventures just for kids.So bring the whole family for an after-noon of fun!

The 10th Annual Kid’s Day2013 will take place on Saturday,May 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. atCarrollwood Village MillenniumGarden, located at 4535 West Vil-lage Dr. in Tampa. For more infor-mation please visitwww.CarrollwoodVillage.com, call(813) 842-7066, or email [email protected].

Tampa Bay Dancing ClubSponsored by Bachelors and

Belles, join the Tampa Bay DancingClub every Friday night from 7:30p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Zendah GrottoHall, located at 4450 W Ohio Ave. inTampa, for an evening of fun and danc-ing. Every week approximately 200guests of all ages join them at theirdances around the Tampa Bay Area todance to the best music of all time.These dances are a great way to meetnew friends, and singles and couplesare welcome. Zendah Grotto Hall fea-tures a large wooden dance floor with

plenty of room to accommodateguests. Enjoy tunes from the 50’s, 60’s,70’s, and 80’s, as well as Latin music,by their world-class DJs and live bands.Admission is a donation of $9.00.

For more information pleasecall (813) 504-2158 or email [email protected].

Home Run For a Cure 2013Arthritis Walk

On Saturday, May 4 join theArthritis Foundation as they host theirArthritis 5k and 1 mile walk. As theArthritis Foundation’s signature event,The Arthritis Walk® raises funds andawareness every year to fight the na-tion’s leading cause of disability. Byholding this event, they aren't justfighting arthritis and helping the mil-lions of people who live with arthritispain; they’re making the impact ofarthritis unacceptable and taking astand, moving together to help preventand treat this serious and painful dis-ease through research, education andcommunity programs.

Participants walk for friends orfamily members with arthritis, andthose with arthritis wear blue hats tosignify their action to take control oftheir condition. The event features athree-mile and one-mile course, witharthritis information and activities forthe entire family. Pet owners are en-

couraged to bring their dogs at partici-pating events.

By joining your 2013 ArthritisWalk®, you become part of Let's MoveTogether, a nationwide communitythat encourages people to prevent ortreat arthritis through movement. Startmoving today for better health!

The event will take place at AlLopez Park, located at 4810 N. HimesAvenue in Tampa at Shelter #315.Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. andthe walk begins at 9:00 a.m. This is adog-friendly event, so bring your pupfor food and drinks, entertainment,kid’s activities, a health fair, and more!

You can register online atwww.AWTampa.kintera.org. Formore information on becoming in-volved please contact MelissaHughey at [email protected] call (813) 968-7000.


Community News Briefs This Is Why He Runs –A Father’s Promise

“Why do I run,” asks father MattMelnick? “I run because I am inspiredby my daughter, who is growing up intoa young lady before my very eyes; al-ways refusing to be defined by anythingbut her glowing spirit and stubborn de-termination, no matter what anyone elsesays or does; regardless of what obstaclestry to stand in her way, squeezing everylast drop of blood, sweat and tears outof each day, to make sure that she livesher life on her terms. That is why I run!Won’t you come with me?”

“Nothing can stop me,” Melnicksays, “until there is a cure. It’s all I doeveryday because it’s all I can do.”

To talk with Tampa father of twoand Corbett Prep technology teacherMatt Melnick, running is not an option;it is a responsibility.

After his thirteen-year old daughterwas diagnosed with Crohn’s Diseasethree years ago, Melnick’s natural in-stinct as a father was to take control andmake everything right for Abby.

Frustrated and unable to controlthe disease, Melnick turned to TeamChallenge of the Crohn’s and ColitisFoundation of America (CCFA). Team

Challenge is an endurance training andfundraising program and a place whereMelnick could find strength, purpose,and support in dealing with this hisdaughter’s condition.

Both Crohn’s Disease and Ulcera-tive Colitis are inflammatory bowel dis-eases. Crohn’s Disease is a chronicinflammatory disease of the the digestivetract, or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Thedisease is more commonly found in thecolon and ileum, but can affect any areaof the digestive tract. Colitis is the in-flammation of the large intestine(colon).

After training by himself and join-ing the Central Florida team from Or-lando, he ran his first half-marathon forCCFA in the Virginia Wine Country.Meeting patients, other parents likehimself, family members of patients, andother passionate people committed tothe cause, provided energy, motivationand lasting friendships. And through so-cial media such as Facebook and Twit-ter, the natural bond among thesefriends affected by these diseases is nur-tured all year long.

Melnick is now a Mentor in thenewly formed Team Challenge Tampa –eight runners and a coach training for

the June 8 marathon in Chicago. Mel-nick hopes to spread awareness of theopportunities to join Team ChallengeTampa and garner the financial supporthe needs to run in Chicago and raisevital funds for research.

Chicago will be his 5th half-marathon in three years, at which pointhe will have raised over $50,000 to-wards finding a cure for Crohn’s Diseaseand ulcerative colitis. Melnick’s relent-less effort and commitment to finding acure for Abby and others who sufferwith these debilitating diseases is evi-denced by these accomplishments. ButMelnick still has work to do.

“I am running for my daughterAbby who courageously lives a life fullof a spirit that inspires. She may haveCrohn's Disease, but it does not haveher. I promised her I would run untilshe is cured, and that is what I am goingto do,” says Melnick.

The goal for each race is$10,000, and he has less than twomonths left. Visit www.Thi-sIsWhyIrun.com for more info or tomake a donation. To contact Mel-nick, email [email protected] orcall (813) 230-4042.

Corbett Prep PreK3 ArtistsModel the Masters

On April 9, PreK3 students sat inthe grass outside their classroom at Cor-

bett Preparatory School of IDS lookingout at the water lilies in the pond andpainted them on their Monet–inspiredcanvases.

They observed live models dressedas ballerinas and imitated the style ofDegas.

Lying on their backs under tables,they painted just as Michelangelo didwhen he created his masterpiece on theceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The masterpiece art unit is a PreK3tradition at Corbett Prep that incorpo-rates the International Baccalaureatetheme “How We Express Ourselvesthrough the Arts.” By imitating the di-verse styles of master artists, the studentslearn that there are many forms of art,that thoughts and feelings can be ex-pressed through art, and that personalexperience may influence the creationand interpretation of art.

“The students learn, for example,Monet was inspired by nature, whileDegas was motivated by movement,”says PreK3 teacher Leah Gucciardi.“Students also learn there are differentways to express themselves.”

PreK3 teachers Leah Gucciardi,Aimee White, and resident StephanieMore selected a variety of artists fromthe Renaissance through modern timesto provide experiences for the youngartists to use many different tools andmediums – oil pastels, paint, markers,


clay, and beads – to create paintings,drawings, sculptures, paper and found–item collages, bean mosaics, and jewelry.

Students explored texture andcolor with Van Gogh’s Starry Night andportrait with da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.Covered in their art smocks, they enthu-siastically created their own abstractsplatter painting – Pollock style – likesculptor Louise.

Carrollwood Cultural Center’sConcert Series Includes TheBlues, Comedy, Country andClassic Rock

The Carrollwood Cultural Centeris getting ready to sing the blues, laughout loud, get a little bit country, andreminisce about the good ‘ol days thissummer with its 2013 Summer ConcertSeries.

Blues and classic R&B singer Beau-tiful Bobby Blackmon will kick off theseries with a concert on Friday, May 31at 8 p.m. Residing in Central Florida,Blackmon has performed with BuddyGuy at the House of Blues and openedfor the legendary BB King in 2010.

Next, the Center will welcomethree funny ladies in the third annualGirls Night Out Comedy Show on Fri-day, June 21 at 8 p.m. Headliner TraciKanaan, “the princess of parodies,” willbe joined by featured comedienne LongIsland Mary and emcee Robin Savage.

“The Girls Night Out ComedyShow was sort of an experiment for usin 2011,” says executive director PaulBerg. “Now, three years later, it is ahighly anticipated show that our audi-ence really looks forward to each year.”

Following the Girls Night OutComedy Show, the Center will welcomecountry singer/songwriter Aaron Parkeron Saturday, August 17 at 8 p.m. Parkerhas captured the undivided attention ofthe music industry with his highly ener-

getic shows and unmatched stage pres-ence. He has written songs with someof country music’s best songwriters, in-cluding Jim McCormick, JasonMatthews and Wade Kirby.

Closing out the series on Friday,August 23 at 8 p.m. is a self-described“nouveau garage band,” with a talentfor ‘60s and ‘70s pop/rock music.Formed in 2009, The Lint Rollers takepride in not taking themselves too seri-ously, playing “music that doesn’t stickto your clothes.”

All of the events will be held atthe Carrollwood Cultural Center, lo-cated at 4537 Lowell Road inTampa. Ticket prices for each eventvary between $10 and $18. Ticketscan be purchased at the box office,online at CarrollwoodCenter.org, orby calling (813) 269-1310.

Civitan Club Helps LocalFamily in Need

On Saturday, April 20, the NorthTampa Civitan Club took part in the an-nual Tampa Paint Your Heart OutEvent and did what they always do eachyear – paint. The home selected for thisevent was in the Sulphur Springs Area ofTampa and met all the requirements forthis charitable contribution.

With club members and friends,the house had a total of 15 eager scrap-ers and painters and the homeownerswho expected them were a little sur-prised – in a good way – to see 15ready-to-go-workers on their doorstepbright and early at 8 a.m.

All pre-work was done, and withsupplies at hand, the “painters” got busyand took positions around the house asnot to get in the way of another worker.

While the painting was takingplace, the owners stayed outside withthe painters for a majority of the time,encouraging them and thanking themfor all of their work. “The owners werevery appreciative, and when we finishedthe wife gave each of the painters a hugand a personal thank-you,” says Ben-jamin, member of the Civitan Club.

The North Tampa Civitan Clubmeets the first, third and fifth Fridayof every month at 7:30 a.m. for abreakfast meeting at the Piccadilly,located at 11810 N Dale MabryHwy. in Tampa. Guests are alwayswelcome. For more informationplease contact the Civitan Club at(813) 215-0500.

Center to Offer New Photog-raphy and Monotype Print-making Workshops

The Carrollwood Cultural Center,located at 4537 Lowell Road, will offernew photography and monotype print-making workshops in May and June.Workshops will be taught by photogra-pher George Wilson and artist Gainor

Roberts. Wilson’s portfolio includes editorial

work for The Springfield Union News,The Associated Press, The Chapel HillNews and The Gold Leaf Farmer. Wil-son is the sole proprietor of George Wil-son Photography, an Orlando-basedbusiness specializing in sports, construc-tion and stock imagery photography.

Roberts is a professional artist, in-structor and curator for the Gallery atCarrollwood Cultural Center. She is amember of the North Tampa ArtsLeague, Tampa Realist Artists, TESA(The Exhibiting Society of Artists), TheEgg Tempera Society and an honorarymember of the New England Mono-type Guild. In 2007 she was elected tothe National League of American PenWomen as an artist member.

Workshops led by Wilson andRoberts will include:

A Photography Lecture withGeorge Wilson

Thursday, May 9 at 6:30pmWilson will share his portfolio and

discuss the art of photography.Admission: Free

Foundation in Digital SLR Pho-tography for Beginners with GeorgeWilson

Friday, May 10, 9am – noonStudents will learn about the differ-

ent settings on the digital SLR cameraand how to use them to take betterphotos. Wilson will discuss exposure,aperture, shutter speed, focal length,composition and white balance.

Admission: $40 (*$75 for studentsenrolled in this workshop and Develop-ing Your Creative Photographic Vision)

Developing Your Creative Photo-graphic Visions with George Wilson(for all skill levels)

Friday, May 10, 2-5pmStudents will learn how to identify

and capture great photographs. Tech-niques used in this course can be used byDSLR photographers, the camera phoneuser, the point and shoot user, etc. Ad-mission: $40 (*$75 for students enrolledin this workshop and Foundation in Dig-ital SLR Photography for Beginners)

Introduction to Digital InfraredPhotography for Advanced Studentswith George Wilson

Friday, May 17, 1-5pmIn this workshop, students will ex-

plore infrared black and white photogra-phy using a filter on a tripod-mountedcamera. The workshop will focus on theDLSR camera and not point-and-shootcameras. Wilson will also cover somedigital manipulation and post-processingtechniques used to sharpen and makeimprovements to photos.

Admission: $40

PreK3 teacher Ms. Gucciardi assistsstudent with the start of apainting...Van Gogh-style.


By Kim Thomas

Before you spend thousands ofdollars remodeling and re-tiling yourbathroom or kitchen be sure to callGrout Tech for a FREE estimate oncleaning or repairing old dingy tile andgrout. Grout Tech can breathe newlife into your existing tile work, mak-ing everything shine like new at a frac-tion of the cost. Grout Tech is afamily owned business serving Hills-borough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties.With over ten years of experience inthe industry, Grout Tech specializes incleaning and sealing tile and grout, re-coloring grout, re-caulking showersand tubs, and repairing grout and bro-ken tiles.

Grout Tech will renew existinggrout and tile to its original beauty bycleaning and maintaining the tile andgrout lines. John Cole and his wifewere ready to re-tile their entire bath-room before calling BJ at Grout Tech.“Our bathroom tile was over 40 yearsold it was looking grungy and verydull. We called Grout Tech and weare extremely pleased with our results!

We saved so much money by havingthe grout in our shower resurfacedand the tile cleaned and it looks brandnew,” John shares.

BJ is happy to set your appoint-ment, come out and give you a free es-timate. She stresses, “It is importantfor me to be respectful of our cus-tomers’ time so I will always arrive atthe time we set.” In addition to alwaysarriving in a timely manner, BJ saysthat they can keep their prices low be-cause they are a family owned businessand not a franchise. She explains,“What many people don’t understandis that franchises are often forced tocharge more for their services becausethey have to maintain their franchisefees, but not with Grout Tech.” Not

only does Grout Tech keep its ratescompetitive, but the company will alsohonor any other quote as long as it isin writing.

Because grout is a porous mate-rial, trying to remove stains is seem-ingly impossible. BJ explains, “Colorsealing grout lines is one of the manyservices we offer and it is definitely themost effective way to create a perfect,new look.” Using a step-by-stepprocess, Grout Tech begins by using acleansing product to remove all bacte-ria and surface dirt with special ma-chinery. They will then apply a colorseal (of your choice).

Once the sealer is applied thegrout lines will be permanently pro-tected from any stains.

The color seal also guaranteesagainst cracking, chipping and peeling.Additionally, they will also cosmeticallyfix or replace chipped or cracked tiles,making your bathroom or kitchen tilelike new again.

Carla Bartow, a satisfied customer,shares her experience, “When BJ cameout to give us a quote, she looked atthe job and I could tell immediatelythat she knew what she was talkingabout. We had our family room,kitchen and dining room re-grouted.They also re-grouted the tub, showerand base of our toilet in our bath-room. They were fantastic! Not onlywere they professional and reliable butthey also completed the job muchfaster than we had anticipated.”

With the help of Grout Tech, even the dirtiest and oldest of floors can be restoredand renewed to their original beauty and splendor.

Save Time and Money with Grout Tech

AfterAfter BeforeBefore


Excellent Service Leadsto Referrals

Throughout the years, GroutTech has grown through its many re-ferrals from happy customers. Peoplereally appreciate that Grout Tech savesthem time and money, but it is the ex-cellent service provided that has reallyhelped this business grow.

Doris Strathearn, another GroutTech success story, said that beforecalling Grout Tech her bathroom andguest bathroom shower and floorgrout had deteriorated over time andthe tiles were dull and stained. “The

tile was in good condition but it wasstained so we had Grout Tech comeout and clean them and they turnedout very well.” They were so pleasedthat they have already referred GroutTech to neighbors in their community.

Grout Tech can also remove andre-caulk around sinks, baseboards,tubs and showers serving to clean upold moldy areas and keep your drywall free from water damage. Fromold to new in just one day!

To find out more about GroutTech’s services or for a free estimatecall BJ at 727-768-6828.


By Alexis Selby

Carrollwood CulturalCenter Offers SomeExciting Summer Camps The Enchanted Kingdom ofthe Arts!

June 10 – August 16Once upon a time, in a far off king-

dom, princes and princesses ruled. Theirkingdom was no ordinary kingdom, forit was enchanted. Beautiful tapestriesadorned the buildings; musicians filledthe air; dancers floated through thestreets; and the children’s voices joinedtogether in perfect harmony. Theprinces and princesses decided to calltheir land The Enchanted Kingdom ofthe Arts.

One day, the princes and princessesof The Enchanted Kingdom of the Artsdecided to share their talents with oth-ers. So, every year around the SummerSolstice, the princes and princesses invitechildren from across the land to jointhem in their creative fun.

All morning activities break from10:20 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. and all after-noon activities will break from 2:20 p.m.to 2:40 p.m. Campers should bring asnack for these break periods. Snacks willnot be provided.

Campers enrolled in morning andafternoon activities will have lunch fromnoon until 12:30 p.m. and outdoorphysical activities (weather permitting)from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Campers arerequired to bring a lunch. Lunch willnot be provided

The Carrollwood Cultural Centerwill be offering many other summercamps, with camps starting June 10.

Rock N Roll RoboticsJune 17-219 a.m. – 12 p.m. How would you

like to use LEGOS® to build a lion andthen program it to sit up and roar; or

maybe you’ll just have him lie down andsnore. In this camp, you will build ani-mals, planes and even a giant! This campis for children ages 7 – 11. Because thisis a specialty camp, cost is $135 formembers and $150 for non-members.

Broadway Bound Camp June 10 – July 269 a.m. – 12 p.m. Broadway Bound

Camp is a six week musical theatrecamp, running June 10 thru July 26,concluding with two productions ofHonk, Jr. on July 27 at 7 p.m. and July28 at 2 p.m. Campers must commit toall six weeks of camp and the productiondates to participate. Payment can bemade week-by-week. This camp is forchildren ages 6 – 16. Cost for this sixweek camp is $450 for members and$540 for non-members.

The Carrollwood Cultural Cen-ter offers many other camps through-out the summer. For moreinformation please contact the Centerat (813) 269-1310 or (813) 922-8167, or visit their website atwww.CarrollwoodCenter.org.

Camp IDS: Where Every-one Has a Great Time!

Performing, broadcasting, cooking,canoeing, and painting are just a few ofthe choices campers have when coming toexciting Camp IDS. Highly-trainedteacher-counselors lead teams to providesafe, fun, positive camp experiences thathave kids returning year after year!

At Corbett Prep’s Camp IDS,campers can try archery or broadcastingin the morning and dabble in paintingor French cooking in the afternoon.From musical theatre to matball, CampIDS offers something for everyone fromPreK3-12th grade.

Divided into seven weekly ses-sions from June 17- August 2, CampIDS offers full-day and half-day campsto appeal to a variety of interests – aca-demics, communications and technol-

ogy, performing arts, visual arts, recre-ation, sports, and travel.

Immerse your child in a new lan-guage – French, Spanish, and Chinese infun activity and culture-based sessionsthat may involve cooking, dancing, andsinging. Other academic camps are of-fered in math, reading, science, andwriting.

Choose from a wide variety ofcommunications and technologycamps that include broadcasting, Clay-mation, aerodynamics, Legos® engi-neering, newspaper, and robotics.

For the future Broadway star,Camp IDS offers camps in band, dance,drama, movie production, filmography,musical theatre, and more!

Visual Arts camps also offer excit-ing opportunities to be creative! Frompainting to earth-friendly sculpting todoll making, Camp IDS has a camp forevery artist!

Recreation and sports campsabound at Camp IDS! Many campersparticipate in the traditional soccer, vol-leyball, cheerleading, flag football, golf,and archery camps and have a ball. Forthe campers looking for new and excit-ing options, Camp IDS offers modelrocketry, off-campus adventures, out-door canoeing and fishing, and wilder-ness excursions as well as martial arts,matball, silly sports, and Warrior games.

Thrill seekers can join AdrenalineCamp – one week in July of a rollercoaster connoisseur’s dream trip in asmany parks in the Eastern United Statesas campers can experience. Parents arewelcome to sign up.

Want to be SCUBA certified?

First campers will earn NAUI certifica-tion, complete their check-out dives,and then they will travel to the Keys forsome of the best diving in the world.Again, parents welcome!

For more camp information, visitwww.CorbettPrep.com or call CampDirector Marie Massara at (813)961-3087 for a brochure.

Summer SCUBA Camp If you are looking for a fun and ex-

citing camp that will keep your child en-gaged, while teaching them thenecessities of SCUBA diving, look nofurther!

At Narcosis SCUBA Center theybelieve diving is not just an activity – it isa passion! Simply being able to gear upand dive is not what SCUBA is allabout.

From start to finish their profes-sional PADI certified Master ScubaDiver Trainers will engage campers toensure there is a full and complete un-derstanding of how diving impacts ourbodies, and the environment.

At Narcosis Scuba, they understandthat not all students learn the same way,which is why they utilize a number ofdifferent teaching techniques, includinginteractive, role-playing, games and one-on-one reviews to ensure each partici-pate is comfortable with the coveredmaterial.

The SCUBA course cost is $525per camper. This fee includes- PADIOpen Water Diver Manual, PADI OpenWater Certification Card, NarcosisScuba Personalized Training and LogBook, ERDP ml, Pool Session, 4-OpenWater Certification Dives (including 2Gulf Dives) all Rental Gear, Camp T -Shirt and ‘Graduation’ BBQ!!

** Students will be required to sup-ply their own SCUBA-quality mask,snorkel, fins, boots, gloves, weights andweight belt. Packages are available at theshop. All student’s receive a 10% lifetimediscounts on equipment**

Exciting Summer Camps For Carrollwood Kids!


Camp Sessions are available forcampers ages 12-18 only. Campersaged 10-11 can enroll in a special datefor their age group. For more detailsplease call Narcosis SCUBA at(727)934-6474.

Session Dates A mandatory orientation session is

required for campers and their parentsfrom 5-7 pm, the Friday, prior to thestart of the session. Session 1 – June 17 – June 21Session 2 – July 1 – July 5Session 3 – July 22 – July 26Session 4 – August 5 – August 9Session 5 – August 12 – August 16

Full payment for each student mustbe received 1 week prior to the start ofthe session.

Narcosis SCUBA is located at926 N. Pinellas Ave. in TarponSprings. For more information abouttheir summer camp or to registerplease call (727)934-6474 or visitwww.NarcosisScuba.com.

Summer Learning andFun at Carrollwood DaySchool

Carrollwood Day School offers afull summer of learning and fun in thecamps and enrichment programs offeredat both the Early Childhood Campus(ECC) and the Bearss Avenue campus

(grades 1 - 12).CDS Summer Camp at the Early

Childhood Campus is a fun-filled, ex-citing program for children ages 3through kindergarten. Campers must beat least 3 years old. You may choosefrom a half day camp, 8:30 a.m. - Noon,for $125 per week or a full day camp,8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for $225 perweek. We also offer before and after carefrom 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The Bearss Avenue campus offersa full day summer camp program for stu-dents entering grades 1 - 8. Campers aregrouped according to age and grade leveland participate in a variety of indoor andoutdoor age-appropriate activities. Eachweek follows a special theme and includesa field trip. Themed weeks include: CrazyHolidays Week, Science Week, Aroundthe World, Water Week, Olympics, HarryPotter, Shark Tank, and more!

The camp day is 8:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m., Monday through Friday. The costis $200.00 per week. Before and aftercamp care is available for $5/hour from7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and from 4:00p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Enrichment Camps CDS Enrichment Programs offer a

variety of programs for your child tochoose from! Depending on the pro-gram, they are for students enteringgrades 1st - 12th. Choose from art toathletics to science! You can even com-bine these programs with our SummerDay Camp for only $100 more.

Summer Full Day Camps CDS Summer Day Camps offer all-

day themed camps running from 8:30a.m. until 4:00 p.m. for students enter-ing grades 1 - 8. These camps provideopportunities for children to exploretheir imaginations and develop skillsduring the summer weeks. Each weekthe campers will attend one field trip.

These all-day camps are $200 perweek. Before and after care is availablefor a separate fee beginning at 7:30 a.m.and continuing until 5:30 p.m.

June 3 - June 7: SCHOOL’S OUT!This week, you’ll be able to let

your creative juices flow! Campers willmake stained glass pictures, create fire-works that jump off the paper, makebracelets/arm bands out of Popsicle

sticks, and tons of other awesome art-work.

June 10 - June 14: SCIENCEWEEK

Have you ever wondered whatmakes a bouncy ball bounce? Or haveyou seen beams of light dance to yourfavorite song? This week, we’ll make ourown bouncy balls, study how lightwaves react to different sounds, makeour own lava lamps, and even find outhow to make soda glow in the dark!

June 17 - June 21: AROUND THEWORLD

This week, we’ll travel across theglobe to China, India, Africa, Mexico,and America. We’ll learn about differentcultures, go on a scavenger hunt, andeven taste some foods from around theworld. Don’t forget your passport!

June 24 - June 28: CRAZY HOLI-DAYS

Ready to party? Every day, we’llcelebrate a different holiday – Mad Hat-ter Day, Ice Cream Day, Mismatch Day,and No Lights Day. At the end of theweek, campers will get to come up withtheir own holiday for the whole camp tocelebrate!

More camps are available in Julyand August. For more information,call Lindsey Johnson at (813)920-2288 or visit the website atwww.CarrollwoodDaySchool.org


Forward Thinking Initiatives’ Teen Businessand Innovation Camps are Back at MOSI

By Alexis Selby

This year, Forward Thinking Ini-tiatives is setting out to prove thatsummer camps can be both educa-tional and fun. Partnering with theMuseum of Science and Industry(MOSI), Forward Thinking Initia-tives, is an unique organization thatstrives to empower teens with the nec-essary tools and techniques to helpthem thrive as entrepreneurs, and theirproven teaching methods aid in bridg-ing the gap between educational andeconomical development.

Forward Thinking Initiatives– Empowering Teens forTomorrow’s Economy

Founded in 2004 by DebraCampbell, Forward Thinking Initia-tives is a non-profit organization thatis dedicated to developing a morecompetitive emerging workforce byencouraging teens to unlock theirinner creativity and develop practical,functional business models and prod-ucts that have the potential to succeedin the current marketplace. “We tieeverything together with the businesselement,” says Debra. By utilizingtheir individual strengths, each teenhas the opportunity to create some-thing unique, and Forward ThinkingInitiatives is here to help your teenfind out what they are truly capable of.

Summer Camps This year, Forward Thinking Ini-

tiatives is offering four innovative sum-mer camps specifically designed toengage your teen’s creativity and dex-terity and children ages 11 – 17 yearsare invited to partake on this opportu-nity of a lifetime. This summer, start

your own business and make some realmoney before the summer ends. Be-come entrepreneurs and inventors inthese fun-filled, hands-on camps. Eachcamp module is unique, so young en-trepreneurs can sign up for all four.

Toys and Games, SeriousBusiness

June 17 – 21 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Teens Learn

how to start their own company withlots of help to get their company offthe ground right away! They also be-come consultants to adults in the toymarket.

12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. Kids will in-vent their own games and toys whilelearning about the toy and game in-dustry.

Hockey, the Business andScience of the Sport

June 24 – 28 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Teens will

learn all about the physics of hockey,as well as sports management. Theywill also have the opportunity to cre-ate a business plan around a productor service idea.

12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. Teens willcreate innovative hockey products. Ifthey take the morning session as well,they will be turning these productsinto a business.

At the end of each camp, teensput on a presentation, which parentsare asked to attend. These presenta-tions showcase the hard work that thecampers have put in over the pastweek and allow parents to see whattheir child has developed. Debra says,“The most rewarding part of what Ido is watching the presentations at theend of these camps and seeing the par-

ents’ faces – they are always in awe.”

Success Stories The success stories at Forward

Thinking Initiatives speak volumesabout their results-driven programsand prove that you are never tooyoung to start a plan for your future.

Take for example Joerod Collier,who took the camp at the age of 15,and since then has started SurrealStyles custom sneakers, a companywhich specializes in custom sneakers;using various techniques to produceone-of-a-kind creations for customersor limited quantity editions for thosewho seek originality off the shelves. Inaddition to running his successfulcompany, Joerod is also on the Boardof Advisors for Forward Thinking Ini-tiatives and is a frequent guest speaker.Another success story is that of WillPerkins, who after starting his first suc-

cessful web hosting company, is now aserial entrepreneur.

Find out what your teen is capa-ble of and let Forward Thinking Ini-tiatives help them to unlock theirinner creativity and ingenuity. Teens –take your skills to the next level. Ichallenge you to take you future inyou own hands; you never know whatyou are capable of until you try!

After-care and before-care is alsoprovided at MOSI.

Registration for each camp is$250 per each half-day camp. Youcan register online for the SummerTeen and Business InnovationCamps at www.CampFun.org. Formore information please call (813)760-7860 or email [email protected]. Thecamps will be held at MOSI, lo-cated at 4801 E. Fowler Ave. inTampa.

Joerod Collier (middle in black baseball hat), took the camp at 15. Since thenhe has started Surreal Styles custom sneakers. He is also on the Board of Advisors

for Forward Thinking Initiatives and is a frequent guest speaker.

2013 Northdale Family Fun Festival and ParadeBy Alexis Selby

At 10:00 a.m. on April 13, a pa-rade kicked off the festivities at the2013 Northdale Family Fun Festivaland Parade, as the Gaither High Schoolmarching band lead the way downMapledale Drive, turning left onNorthdale Blvd., before proceeding toSpring Pine Drive then onto theNorthdale Park grounds. The Festival,which was entirely free to all, was heldat Northdale Park, located at 15550Spring Pine Drive in Tampa and lastedfrom 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Festival featured free food,free entertainment and free games, andapproximately 100 local vendors, rang-ing from restaurants, to doctors, tochildren’s athletic programs, and every-thing in between.

A wide variety of food sampleswere offered by area restaurants andeateries, including area-favorites such asGenghis Grill, and supermarket chainssuch as Publix. Adults also enjoyed vis-iting the non-food vendors and learn-ing about new products and servicesthat are available in the area, while chil-dren delighted in games, face-painting,and many other activities. One thing

enjoyed by people of all ages was thewonderful railroad displays setup onthe outdoor basketball court as well asinside the multi-purpose room. Thestage area featured wonderful perform-ances, including live entertainment bylocal groups throughout the day.

The Northdale Family Fun Festi-val and Parade was hosted by TheNorthdale Civic Association, in con-junction with Hillsborough CountyParks, Recreation and ConservationDepartment, Northdale Park and tookplace on Saturday April 13th from

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at North-dale Park, 15550 Spring Pine Drive,Tampa, FL 33624.


The Northdale Family Fun Festival boasted a huge turnout, and featuredapproximately 100 local vendors, including Estrada Injury Law (top left),

The Carrollwood Area Business Association (CABA) (top right), and manyother area favorites.


find window coverings for their homeor business and are dedicated to pro-viding excellent customer servicethroughout the design process.”

Window coverings set the tonefor your room and during your com-plimentary in-home consultation aBudget Blinds’ professional designerwill talk to you about the look youwant and the amenities you need.They then show you samples of mate-rials and designs to help you choosewindow coverings to fit your room,lifestyle, and budget. “After requestinga free consult on-line, we were calledalmost immediately and set up an ap-pointment,” writes Don and Judi fromPalmetto. “The representative (Mike)was very helpful in suggesting colors,and gave us extremely useful informa-tion. He was very professional. Wewere extremely satisfied with the in-stallation. He came on time, tookaway all our old blinds, and was veryneat. We will call again to have otherblinds replaced and would highly rec-ommend Budget Blinds.”

If you need window coverings, letBudget Blinds help you. They have ahuge selection that can be designed to

fit any size window and many that canbe altered to fit non-standard windows.

Blinds compliment any room, andBudget Blinds has the largest selectionof blinds you’ll find anywhere, includ-ing both wood and faux wood blinds –available in many finishes and colors. Ifyou are looking for blinds for a high-moisture area, like a kitchen or bath,faux wood blinds may be your bestchoice; they give you the richness andlook of wood and their durable con-struction makes them warp resistantand easy-to-clean. Budget Blinds isalso a leader in Eco-friendly blinds.They have an exclusive line of wovenwood blinds made from natural re-newable resources like bamboo,grasses, jutes, reeds, and rattan.

Made from 100% North Ameri-can hardwood, Budget Blinds’ woodshutters are a classy way to cover yourwindows and their elegance makesthem the perfect choice for any styleof home. Shutters are available instained and painted finishes that canbe color-matched to your existingtrim and give you the choice of oneof four louver sizes.

Budget Blinds Has Thou-sands of Fabrics in the LatestColors, Textures, and Prints

Draperies can change the way a

room looks.Whether you wantdramatic, elaboratedesigns and fabric,or simple, elegantstyles, they can cre-ate beautifulvalances that willadd height and vi-sual interest to yourroom. The expertdesigners at BudgetBlinds know howto create any look,and stay up-to-dateon the latest designtrends, so whateveryour style, they’vegot your windowscovered. BudgetBlinds also has rods, rings and finials inevery imaginable style and material; topull your look together, and yourdraperies back.

Control Light and Privacy inYour House

The Signature Illusions Transi-tional Shades and the TriLight Shadesare elegant additions to any room, andfeature unique designs that allow youto adjust the amount of light you wantcoming into a room or the privacy youdesire. Prominence Shades come in a

variety of rich and vibrant colors, andwith their oversized pleats, are a greatoption for medium and large-scalewindows.

Designer Looks for UnusuallyShaped Windows

In addition to options for regu-larly shaped windows, Budget Blindshas many designer looks for unusuallyshaped windows, such as Duette Ar-chitella Honeycomb Shades and FauxIron. As an added bonus, the honey-comb shades have one of the industry’s

“Blinds”Continued from page 1

Budget Blinds has shutters in all colors and sizes, to per-fectly match your existing trim and windows.


highest levels of energy efficiency andcan reduce energy costs by up to 50%.

Beautiful Options for Slidersand Large Windows

Budget Blinds carries a full line ofbeautiful fabric panels that can be at-tached to a track and easily glide backand forth. They also have a wide vari-ety of vertical blinds in fabric, sheerfabric, vinyl or S-shaped vanes thatlook like draperies.

You can add motorization tomany of their products, giving you theability to raise or lower your blinds or

shades or open your shutters using aremote or wall switch. These are greatoptions for a garden tub window orother windows that are hard to reach.You can also include timers that youcan set to open and close your win-dow coverings while you are away orto open up in the morning to let lightin to help you wake up.

The designers at Budget Blindsstay up-to-date on the latest technol-ogy innovations and will help you sortthrough all the options and choose thebest covering for your windows. Witha Budget Blinds designer, you can ex-

(above)Jim and Elaine Trotter

(right) Design Center Consultants, DerendaBurdette and Tracey Eastman

periment with different window cover-ings to see how they compliment yourexisting furniture and see how differ-ent materials can change the lightingand mood in your rooms. They willmeasure your windows to make sureyou get the correct fit and a profes-sional installer will install your newwindow coverings to make sure youhave a beautiful view.

Elaine says, “Everyone at BudgetBlinds of Greater Tampa truly enjoyshelping our customers. Our staff reallymakes the difference and we pride our-selves on just not trying to sell a cus-tomer a product but designing a

window covering that will be func-tional and beautiful and will make theirhome a reflection of their own style”.

Budget Blinds of GreaterTampa is locally owned and oper-ated. Their newest showroom is lo-cated at 1208 W. Fletcher Ave. inTampa, and is open Mon. – Fri. 10a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 10:00a.m. – 3:00 p.m. For more infor-mation or to schedule a complimen-tary in-home consultation, pleasecall (813) 968-5050 or visitwww.BudgetBlinds.com/North-Tampa.


the area. We each had a Hattie's NestEgg breakfast sandwich - one withbacon and one with ham. Both excel-lent! We have never had this kind ofsandwich before – with the egg on theoutside. Very good bread, also. Thefresh squeezed OJ was delicious, as wasthe house-roasted coffee. And, the Cin-namon Swirl Danish was outstanding –we thought maybe the frosting mighthave had a slight citrus flavoring to it.The staff was all very friendly, and therestaurant was very clean. We will defi-nitely be back. Breakfast for 2 – includ-ing 2 egg sandwiches, 1 coffee, 1 juiceand 1 cinnamon roll – was under $13!”

History of Hattie’s Owner Bruce Boore was born into

the culinary way of life, coming from along line of restaurant owners, and gothis first job at the age of seven, workingin his family’s restaurant – Aunt Hat-tie’s in St. Pete. Well-known through-out Florida, Aunt Hattie’s was a favoriteamong both locals and visitors, and byopening Hattie’s this past December,Bruce proudly follows in his family’sfootsteps and brings the Hattie’s nameback to the Tampa Bay area. Bruce runs

the café alongside his wife Martha, andson Jonathan, and as a team, they pro-vide customers with a memorable din-ing experience – from the uniqueness oftheir food to the quality and personal-ization of their service.

“We embrace the philosophy of giv-ing our customers great service and greatfood,” says Jonathan. “We have createda restaurant with a completely unique at-mosphere. It is about the whole experi-ence; a personable experience. It’s whatpeople should be expecting.”

Adapting the name of the original

Aunt Hattie’s, while still maintainingthe philosophies and principles thatmade it so popular, Hattie’s Café andBeanery puts a modern twist on an oldfavorite and brings the area somethingexciting and new. Bruce says, “The phi-losophy of Hattie’s, we brought fromthe original Aunt Hattie’s; and that isthe philosophy of buying fresh, localproduce. Back in the day, everythingwas fresh and everything was local; itdidn’t come any other way. We do thesame thing here!” Because of this, whenyou eat at Hattie’s, you know quality

and freshness is always a guarantee.

Delicious FareIn addition to a lifetime of experi-

ence growing up in the industry, Brucealso has formal culinary training, as agraduate of the Culinary Institute ofAmerica in Hyde Park, New York andshowcases his skills by the originality ofhis hand-crafted menu items – such ashis Grilled Alaskan sandwich. Madewith freshly sliced Nova (salmon), avo-cado, tomato, red onion and sproutsand finished off with a layer of cream

“Hattie’s”Continued from page 1

Bruce showcases his culinary skills with the creation of these delicious sandwiches. The Fourth Friday (left), made withroasted turkey, cream cheese and sprouts, and the Grilled Alaskan (right), with freshly sliced Nova (salmon), avocado,

tomato, red onion, and sprouts, and finished off with a layer of cream cheese.

cheese, this sandwich is every bit asamazing as it sounds. The combinationof the avocado and cream cheese per-fectly complement the flavor of thesalmon and pair for a taste that is out ofthis world. Another great sandwich op-tion is The Fourth Friday – withroasted turkey, cream cheese andsprouts. Tied in perfectly by the addi-tion of spicy cranberry relish beforebeing grilled to a light crisp, this sand-wich has a sweet and spicy flavor that isfresh and tasty.

If you are in the mood for break-fast I highly recommend you try theBreakfast Club, featuring three eggsgrilled onto rye bread, topped withCheddar and Swiss cheese, lettuce,tomato, onion and your choice of twodifferent meats – ham, sausage, orbacon. Just make sure you come hun-gry, because this sandwich ranges insize from 15 to 18 oz (depending onthe meat you choose)!

Hattie’s also has a selection of freshsalads, including the Ensalada Ranchero– a customer favorite. In this salad, freshgreens are topped with corn salsa,shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla strips,sour cream and salsa verde, making fora salad that is both filling and delicious.

“We have really geared Hattie’stowards the healthy lifestyle,” saysBruce, as he talks about the importanceof offering healthy selections, and usingall-natural ingredients and buying or-

ganic as frequent as possible. Bruce alsorealizes that a lot of people are gluten-intolerant, and thus recognizes theneed for gluten-free options. He says,“We have an extensive selection ofgluten-free menu items, and what wedon’t bake here we get delivered froma certified gluten-free bakery.”

Pastries are another top seller atHattie’s, and they offer a wide varietyof bakery favorites, including brownies,croissants, bagels, muffins, chocolatebanana bread, biscuits, assorted cook-ies, scones, pies, biscotti, and their deli-cious French Toast Strada.

Hattie’s also makes their ownfresh-squeezed orange juice, whichthey squeeze for you right in therestaurant, and sells other healthy itemssuch as oatmeal and honey.

World-Class CoffeeAs the name implies, Hattie’s Café

and Beanery is also a full-service bean-ery and has some of the best coffee inthe Tampa Bay area. And, in additionto specially importing coffee beansfrom Portland Roasters, a company fa-mously known for their coffee – whichfeatures a zero carbon footprint – Hat-tie’s also roasts their own coffee. “Cof-fee is a major part of what we do,” saysBruce. “We take a much more artisanapproach to our coffee and still doespressos by hand. We also roast ourown coffee.” Whether you like yourcoffee iced, frozen, or hot, or want anespresso, a French press or a decaf,Hattie’s is sure to have exactly whatyou are looking for.

Hattie’s also serves up somethingthat is nearly impossible to find any-where else in the Tampa Bay Area, ifnot Florida, and that is their cold-brewed coffee. Brewed with only coldwater, as the name implies, cold brewcoffee features concentrated, super-charged flavor, and because the coffeebean is never exposed to heat, the beandoesn’t release oil or acid, making it avery low-acidic beverage.

Bruce is constantly roasting newcoffee creations and even offers cus-

tomers the option of creating their ownunique coffee that he will only brew forthem. He will roast the coffee beansexactly to your specifications and thenwill seal up the recipe and keep it safeuntil you wish to order more. ChevalHealth Club has already taken Hattie’sup on this offer and now features theirown unique coffee at their clubhouse.

Hattie’s also offers catering for anysize party, which is perfect for businessluncheons and family events. They fea-ture delicious daily specials, includingfresh soups and sandwiches, all ofwhich they feature on their website.

On her last trip to Hattie’s, dinerNina writes, “Loved it! Atmosphere

was great; service awesome; coffee deli-cious; food delicious; pastries to die for!I love that they are green, shop localand try to use organic items. Hattie’s isthe perfect stop for lunch and coffee!”

Hattie’s Café and Beanery is lo-cated at 17695 N Dale Mabry Hwy.in Lutz. Their hours are Mon. –Thurs. 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Fri. –Sat. 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.; Sun.7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For more in-formation please call (813) 898-2777 or visit their website atwww.HattiesBeanery.com. For spe-cials and weekly updates check themout on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/HattiesBeanery.


Owner Bruce Boore (R) and his sonJonathan (L).




Documents

Carrollwood - Vol. 1, Issue 2, May 2013