Westchase - Vol. 4, Issue 1, January 2015

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley

Having launched in August 2014,The Great Spiedini Family Grill is stillin its infancy. Co-owner Rick Swart-wood’s vision for the restaurant how-ever is decades old.

As a child, Rick grew up enjoyingthe Italian goodness of Spiedies and asearly as his late teens, even plannedout the concept of how this TripleCities’ (Binghamton, Johnson City,and Endicott area of upstate NewYork) ethnic favorite might be appreci-ated in other areas of the country.

The term "spiedie" comes fromthe Italian spiedo meaning spit or spie-dini referring to cubes or balls of meat

cooked on a skewer.Rick explained,

“In The TripleCities, a Spiedie is asandwich made withflame-grilled cubedmeat on skewers thatis served with a sliceof Italian bread.”

Though aSpiedie is a recipethat sounds simple, itrequires the perfectmarinade, a certainquality of meat, and just the rightamount of time on the searing flameto make it flawless.

After relocating to the Tampa Bay

area in 1999 Rick and his wife Karenfound what all of those who left thefriendly valleys of upstate New Yorkbefore them - no Spiedies. And with

The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To Over 15,000 Homes In Westchase & Surrounding Areas

This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:Arlington Park • Aston Villas • Bay Arbor • Berkeley Square • Calf Path Estates • Enclave At Citrus Park • Fawn Ridge

Fawn Lake • Forest Lakes • Hampton Lakes • Highland Park • Lake Chase • Mandolin • The Eagles • Tree TopsTwin Branch Acres • Waterchase • West Hampton • Westchase • Westchester • Westwood Lakes • Windsor Place

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

ECRWSSPostal Customer

Dated MaterialPlease Rush!

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTAMPA FL

PERMIT 1185

Celtic Day Spa Correction............3

Westchase Physical Therapy &

Back Pain Center.......................4-5

Personal Touch Kitchens &

Bathrooms.............................8-9

Tampa Rejuvenation.......12-13

Sweeties By Mili.............16-17

Your neighborhood. Your magazine.

Vol. 4, Issue 1, January 2015

See “Great Spiedini” on page 20

The Great Spiedini – A Family AffairBringing a Unique Flavor to Westchase

“Knowledge, experience and services tofit your dog, your style, your Dogism!”

Dogism owners Jason and Renee Russell, with Luey and Bailey

By Katie Thomas

You are unique, your dog isunique and your relationship withyour dog is one-of-a-kind. There is aplace in Oldsmar where your uniquerelationship with your dog is cele-brated. Dogism is a training facilitythat offers classes including agility

training, as well as offering doggy day-care and self-bathing stations. Plus,the retail store is dog-gone stylish withfun finds for your pup and the essen-tials that he or she needs.

Dogism supports your individualphilosophy on what your dog meansto you and is different in that the

See “Dogism” on page 18.

2 JANUARY 2015 Westchase Area Neighborhood News & LifestylesFor Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com

A correc-tion to CelticDay Spa’s arti-cle published

in the December edition of theNeighborhood News &Lifestyles: Celtic Day Spa isconveniently nestled in theprofessional center behindPublix, off Countryway Blvd at12181 West Linebaugh Av-enue, and not behind Publixon Racetrack Road (as incor-rectly stated in last month’smagazine.) Sorry if this mis-take caused any confusion.

In addition to their fabulousspa services, Celtic Day Spa alsosells TreSkinRX skin care prod-ucts online, allowing you tomaintain beautiful skin in thecomfort of your own home. Ifyou are interested in trying outTreskinRX’s revolutionary skin

care products, I definitely rec-ommend you sampling theirtrial kits. For a limited time, trialkits of the skin care products arebeing sold for $9.99 online atwww.annettemcphee.com.Choose from normal, oily orclearskin (acne) skin type.

Celtic Day Spa is locatedin the professional center be-hind Publix, off CountrywayBlvd at 12181 WestLinebaugh Avenue. For moreinformation on spa servicesplease call (813) 279-8281 orvisit www.celticdayspa.com.

Westchase Area Neighborhood News & Lifestyles For Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com

Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 15,000households in zip codes 33626 & 34677

220 S. Safford Ave. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

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

[email protected]© 2015 Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is

published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

Nothing that appears in Westchase NeighborhoodNews & Lifestyles may be reproduced, whether wholly or inpart, without permission. Opinions expressed by WestchaseNeighborhood News & Lifestyles writers are their own anddo not reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The management of Westchase NeighborhoodNews & Lifestyles is always happy to accept outside edi-torial submissions to the paper. Please call for outsideeditorial submission and advertisement deadlines.

Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles will con-sider previously non-published outside editorial submis-sions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500words. Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles reservesthe right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submis-sions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates.Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles will not returnunsolicited editorial materials.

Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles reserves theright to edit and/or reject any advertising. Westchase Neigh-borhood News & Lifestyles is not responsible for errors in ad-vertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself,not for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is pub-lished by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

PublisherTim SelbyGeneral ManagerMatt Selby Advertising SalesJim O’ReillyLinda ViegaMike BirdJared NagerAccounting ManagerDoreen SelbyBilling AssistantTina O’Reilly

EditorAlexis SelbyCorrespondentsKim ThomasJulie KanehlKatie ThomasMarcy SanfordDara TuckerArt DirectorTony SicaGraphic ArtistDat X. DoMarketing & DevelopmentAshley Knoblach

From The Editor Alexis Selby

JANUARY 2015 3

Celtic Day Spa Article Correction

Occupational Therapy and specializesin upper limb injuries, as well as ortho-pedic and neurological rehabilitation.

Suffering from back pain at anearly age, John knows all too well thedebilitating effects that back pain cancause. He first started experiencingback pain at the age of 14. “I got veryfrustrated, depressed and angry withmy body and became obsessed withtrying to ‘fix’ my back,” says John. “Ibegan to study the spine and back painin great detail.”

By the age of 18, John had triedevery treatment known to man; Chiro-practic, Physical Therapy, Osteopathy,Acupuncture, Nutritionists etc. Someof these treatments worked for a shorttime, but his pain always returned.

John says, “Due to my obsessiveinterest in back pain I decided to be-

come a Physical Therapist and studiedPhysical Therapy in my home country(Ireland). During my time as a studentPhysical Therapist I became aware of aback pain machine that was helpingpeople throughout the United King-dom and Ireland. After a few sessions


By Alexis Selby

Revolutionizing the way physicaltherapists care for their patients,Westchase Physical Therapy & BackPain Center, previously calledWestchase Physical Therapy & Med-ical Supply, is setting the precedencefor quality patient care. Providing one-on-one attention to each and everypatient in a nurturing, encouragingenvironment, the veteran staff atWestchase Physical Therapy takes ahands-on approach to back pain andinjury. Offering guidance, support andtherapy every step of the way, eachmember of the staff is devoted to youand your recovery.

Westchase Physical Therapy is aone-stop-shop for all your therapyneeds. They offer post-op rehab,sports injury therapy, neurologicalrehab, occupational therapy, and ther-apy for hand and upper limb injuries.Whether you suffer from a minor in-jury or severe back pain, WestchasePhysical Therapy & Back Pain Centeris your key to recovery!

Meet The New Owners Taking over ownership as of

March of this year, husband and wifeteam John and Roisin Magee have awealth of knowledge and experience inthe health care industry and havemade it their mission to help their pa-tients to overcome pain and injury andlead a healthy, pain-free life. Born andraised in Ireland, the Magees movedto Florida in hopes of bringing to thearea an advanced spinal technologythat has helped thousands of their pa-tients in Ireland to get rid of theirneck and back pain.

Specializing in back and neckpain, as well as sports-related injuries,John has an honors degree in PhysicalTherapy and has treated numerous in-ternational athletes from around theworld. Roisin, has an honors degree in

Westchase Physical Therapy & Back Pain Center -Your Local Back Pain Specialists!

John Magee demonstrates theBionic Hand

JANUARY 2015 5Westchase Area Neighborhood News & Lifestyles For Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com

with this machine I could not believethe difference it made; I was pain freeand began playing sports again with-out limitation for the first time inyears. I was amazed!”

The Bionic HandThis life-changing machine John

is referring to is the Theraflex, alsoknown as the Bionic Hand. The firstof its kind in Florida, the Bionic Handis a back pain therapy machine that hasbeen helping back pain sufferers inEurope for the past decade. “Very safeand effective, it is basically just an ex-tension of the therapist’s hand,” says

John, who has been using the machinefor the past seven years at his practicein Ireland, and now instructs andteaches the physical therapists atWestchase Physical Therapy in how touse this state-of-the-art machine.

John says, “When you go to atherapist for treatment, typically theyuse their hands to loosen up your backand relax your muscles. The issue withthat is, the joints in the spine are a lotbigger and the vertebra sit very deepand are covered by about 1 1/2inches of muscle, so it is very difficultto get to with just your thumbs.”

Invented in Europe, the Bionic

Hand is a revolutionary technologicalbreakthrough that allows therapists toget deep inside the joints and loosenthe bones and muscles in the backand is something that can do the joblonger, faster and more effectivelythen hands alone. The first of its kindin Florida, John is very proud tobring this amazing Theraflex machineto Florida.

John says, “I started a single prac-tice all by myself in Ireland, and withintwo years it became the largest physi-cal therapy practice in Ireland. I hadpatients coming from hundreds ofmiles away and other countries; I evenhad patients who would fly from theUnited States to Ireland to come seeme. One of the reasons I came herewas to bring this new technology toFlorida. I know it will help tremen-dously in getting rid of back pain andstiffness in our patients.”

“I lost the power in my left shoul-der and could barely through a jab letalone fight 240lb Olympic boxing goldmedalist,” says Heavyweight BoxingChampion Martin Rogan. “My backwas also killing me every time I ranand was contemplating canceling thefight. After a few sessions, my shoulderpower had returned and running wasno longer a problem. I went on to beatthe Heavyweight Olympic Championand claimed the Heavyweight Com-monwealth title in my next fight. TheBionic Hand helped give me back thetools of my trade and for that I am ex-tremely grateful. The more people thatknow about this magnificent treatmentthe better!”

Meant to accompany the use ofthe therapist’s hands and not replacethem, the skilled therapists atWestchase Physical Therapy take an

active approach to caring for their pa-tients and use hands on manual ther-apy, giving the patient as much one onone hands-on treatment as possible.Instead of rushing patients in and out,the physical therapists at WestchasePhysical Therapy take the necessarytime with their patients, making surethey are given the attention they need,in hopes of optimizing their treatmentand allowing them the opportunity tomaximize their recovery.

A testament to their hands-on ap-proach, the newest member of theirelite team, Corey Verostick, PT, DPT,FAAOMPT, surely has brought some-thing unique to the Westchase Physi-cal Therapy team. A doctor of physicaltherapy and a fellow of the AmericanAcademy of Orthopedic Manual Phys-ical Therapy, Dr. Verostick holds theprestigious honor of being one of thefew manual therapy fellows in theTampa Bay area.

Dr. Verostick is accompanied byOccupational therapist Roisin Magee,Physical therapist Dina Traficante,Physical Therapy Assistant GrantPlumely and Massage Therapist KaraJones. Together, this knowledgeable,skilled staff is dedicated to helpingtheir patients overcome their injuryand pain and get back on track to liv-ing a healthy, pain-free life!

Did you know, physical therapy isusually covered by insurance?Westchase Physical Therapy & BackPain Center is registered with over800 insurance companies, includingthe “Big 6” – United, Blue Cross BlueShield, Tri Care, Aetna, Humana andCigna. So, if you are suffering fromback pain or need therapy for any in-jury, contact Westchase Physical Ther-apy & Back Pain Center.

Westchase Physical Therapy &Back Pain Center has two locationsto better serve you. Their main lo-cation is at 12625 Race Track Roadin Westchase and their satellite of-fice is located at 4937 Van DykeRoad in Lutz. For their Westchaselocation please call (813) 343-3960. To reach the Lutz office, call(813) 443-4716. Hours are Mon. -Fr. 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. For additionalinfo visit their website atwww.WestchaseTherapy.com oremail your questions [email protected].



dish you’re looking for with ease. “If you haven’t renovated your

kitchen since you moved into yourhome, it may be time,” says Cheryl.“Many standard kitchens have awk-ward, cheap cabinetry that makes itdifficult for people to get to the itemsthey need when they are cooking. Wewill help you get a kitchen that looksbeautiful and is more functional.”

Cheryl says that cabinets can giveyou much needed storage in any

room and a quick look around thePersonal Touch Kitchens and Bath-rooms showroom gives you an idea ofhow versatile and helpful cabinets canbe in any room in your home. WithCheryl’s help you can have a beauti-ful, custom built-in entertainmentcenter or extra storage to help keep achild’s room neat. If you have a homeoffice or mudroom, you can also get


By Marcy Sanford

Personal Touch Kitchens & Bath-rooms offers you the best of bothworlds – personalized, individual de-sign help for your remodeling needsand an extensive selection of cabinetry,countertops, and fixtures to meet allbudgets and styles. If you’re thinkingof remodeling this year, PersonalTouch Kitchens & Bathrooms canhelp make your dreams a reality.Owner and designer Cheryl Colvinhas worked in the kitchen and bath in-dustry for more than 25 years and usesher experience and knowledge to helpturn her clients’ remodeling visionsinto beautiful and functional rooms.

Personal Touch Kitchens & Bath-rooms showroom is located at 33478US Highway 19 N in Palm Harbor.You can visit the showroom to getideas or set up an appointment forCheryl to come to your home to talkto you about all the wonderful possi-bilities available for your remodel.

“It was an absolute pleasure towork with Personal Touch Kitchens &Bathrooms on our project,” saysEdwin Rivera. “I can’t believe how

smooth everything ran and howthrilled I am in having used PersonalTouch Kitchens for my remodel. Theirattention to detail and to total cus-tomer satisfaction is commendable. Ihighly recommend them to anyonewho is looking for a referral.”

Cabinets for Every Style,Room, & Budget

Personal Touch Kitchens &Bathrooms sells many differentbrands of cabinetry to meet any stor-age or remodeling issue you’re facing.Most of the lines are made in theU.S.A. and all come with a lifetimewarranty. Personal Touch Kitchens &Bathrooms has standard cabinets butcan also provide custom cabinets tofit unique or unusual spaces. Somecome with features that might sur-prise you, like a lift-up door that canbe used to hide toiletries, medicinebottles, hair dryers, and other acces-sories that clutter bathroom counters.Personal Touch Kitchens & Bath-rooms can find cabinets for everyspace in your kitchen so that there isno wasted space and allow you to beable to find the pot, pan, spice, or

Personal Touch Kitchens & Bathrooms

If you are thinking about remodel-ing this year, Personal Touch

Kitchens & Bathrooms can helpmake your dreams a reality!


valuable storage custom-made forthose rooms from Personal TouchKitchens & Bathrooms.

In addition to Cheryl, designerKimberly McMann, who has morethan 13 years of kitchen design experi-ence, is available to help you realizeyour remodeling visions. With theseladies helping you out, you can get akitchen that will truly be the bestroom in your house or a bathroomthat will become your own personal

retreat. Whatever space you want re-modeled or wherever you need morestorage, give Personal Touch Kitchens& Bathrooms a call and they will giveyou a free design consultation to helpmake your vision become a reality.

“I try to help people find ways tosave money every step of the waywith their remodels,” says Cheryl.“We help our customers find solu-tions to their remodeling needs thatare within their budget.”

“I can highly recommend Per-sonal Touch Kitchens and especiallyCheryl Colvin for remodeling jobs,”says Jan Wiesler. “I wanted a newkitchen and baths, but since I travel somuch, was having trouble figuring outhow to get it all scheduled. Cheryl co-ordinated all the work and kept intouch with us along the way regardingprogress and what to expect. She alsokept in touch with contractors tomake sure they worked around ourschedule and everything went verysmoothly. The results are beautiful andI am happy with my new cabinets,granite, and flooring. The high level ofservice and commitment from Per-sonal Touch Kitchens has been evidentfrom the beginning and I believe any-one would experience great value fromhiring them.”

Cheryl and Kim are committed tohelping their clients every step of theway. “We can do as little or as much asneeded,” says Cheryl. “We have manyskilled contractors we work with or wecan recommend ones and let the clientoversee the project. We want to workwith our clients to ensure they get theremodel that they want at a budgetthey can afford. Each remodeling proj-ect is different and so we make sure ourclients get the individual, personal at-

tention they deserve so they are happywhen their remodel is complete.”

Personal Touch Kitchens &Bathrooms is located in the PalmHarbor Commons near NebraskaAvenue at 33478 US Highway 19N. They are open Monday throughFriday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sat-urday 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., andby appointment. You can alsoschedule a free in-home designconsultation. For more informa-tion or to schedule an appoint-ment, visit www.ptkitchens.com orcall Cheryl at (813) 777-5947 orKim at (508) 840-6764.




By Marcy Sanford

The way we feel, the way wethink, the way we heal, the way welook is all dictated by our body’shormones. If you’ve had difficultylosing weight, often feel sluggish, havelost your sex drive or are starting tosee signs of aging, Tampa Rejuvena-tion can help.

Stop the NegativeSigns of Aging

“As you get older, both men andwomen begin to lose levels of estrogenand testosterone,” says Gina Pastore,ARNP-MSN, board certified anti-aging specialist. “Undiagnosed thyroidconditions can also cause a hormonalimbalance. With bio-identical hor-mone replacement therapy, we run afull screen of lab tests on a blood orsaliva sample to determine if hormonelevels have declined. A compoundpharmacy then creates hormones thatare identical to the ones found withinyour body. The purpose is to establishhormonal balance, which will help youregain your energy, stamina, even yourbody’s ability to lose weight. As hor-mones start to rebalance, some pa-tients are able to cut back and in somecases even stop other medications suchas blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetesand sleep medications.”

Depending upon the patients’lifestyles, methods of administrationcan be customized to a cream, trochee,capsule, injection or even pellets.

“There is no reason to accept thenegative effects of aging,” says TampaRejuvenation client Carol. “At 35years old I began noticing changes in

my body and the way I felt. I gained20 pounds, was always tired, and mydesire for sex disappeared. I went toseveral doctors and they told me Iwas normal and that what I was feel-ing is part of normal aging. I havebeen on Tampa Rejuvenation’s amaz-ing program for 3 months and lost18 pounds and feel great. I am backto my revitalized self.”

Tampa Rejuvenation client Allensays, “Who would have ever thought aman would need hormone replace-ment therapy at 38. I knew I had lostsomething. When I read the symptomsof Andropause, I thought they weretalking about me. Hormone replace-ment therapy has changed my life.”

Gina says that hormones can be-come imbalanced at any age and that

she sees patients as young as 20, andup to their late 70s. She says, “Hor-monal imbalance can be caused byaging, genetics, lifestyle factors, stressor even trauma/injury to the bodythat can affect the endocrine glandsthat produce or regulate hormones.At Tampa Rejuvenation, not only dowe look at our patients’ lab results, butwe also take the time to talk to themabout the symptoms and problemsthey are experiencing so that we candevelop individualized treatments.”

Tampa Rejuvenation is a proudmember of Forever Health. Gina isone of the only two providers in theTampa Bay area with this distinction.Suzanne Somers, a supporter of bio-identical hormone replacement ther-apy says, “Thanks to BHRT I enjoy

robust health, balanced hormones,strong bones, and the energy of some-one half my age.”

Lose Weight and Gain aHealthier, Happier Life

Whether you want to lose 10pounds or 100 pounds, Tampa Reju-venation’s Weight Loss Programs arecustom designed and monitored by aphysician to help you reach your goal.

Every program includes a nutri-tional plan that is easy to follow, withrecipes and workouts emailed to youevery morning, medication to helpincrease the amount of fat you loseand decrease your cravings, and per-sonalized workouts to help you gainmuscle and keep the weight off.

At Tampa Rejuvenation you’ll get

Aging is a Part of Life, butit Does Not Mean You

Have to Feel Old!!!

At Tampa Rejuvenation, a qualified staff of professionals are ready to help you look and feel rejuvenated!


one-on-one counseling, not only fromthe practitioners, but their on-staffprogram coordinators who are re-quired to have a college degree innutrition or exercise science. TampaRejuvenation even has an app to helpyou keep track of your weight loss andgoals as well as how many caloriesyou’ve consumed for a day versus howmany you need to burn.

If you’re ready to make a positivechange this New Year for a healthier,happier you, visit Tampa Rejuvenationfor a no cost consultation to see howthey can help you get your youthfulenergy and vitality back.

Tampa Rejuvenation has four

clinics in the Tampa Bay Area, NorthTampa, South Tampa, Brandon andthe Oldsmar / Westchase office.

The Oldsmar / WestchaseClinic is located in the CovingtonProfessional Park at 13648 WestHillsborough Ave. in Tampa (rightpast the intersection of RacetrackRoad and Hillsborough Ave.) andcan be reached at (813) 749-7550.Hours for this location are Mon. 11a.m. – 7 p.m.; Wed. 11 a.m. – 7p.m.; and Fri. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Theother locations offer varying daysand hours. For more informationand other locations, please call(888) 865-8370.




By Alexis Selby

Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth?Lucky for you, because the perfectsweet treat is closer than ever and moreheavenly than you can possibly imag-ine! Showcasing a deliciously delectableselection of desserts and pastries,Sweeties By Mili has just what youneed to knock out your sugar craving!Their pre-made selection of desserts in-cludes truffles, cookies, chocolates,cakes, croissants, brownies, cupcakes,ice cream, coffee, real-fruit smoothiesand everything in between. They alsomake custom deserts and cakes, such asthose for specials events, weddings andbirthdays and offer a light café-stylelunch menu with a nice selection of

croissant sandwiches, which are servedalongside their soup of the day.

“Baking has always been my pas-sion and this is the reason why I de-cided to become a pastry chef,” saysowner Milouska Kennis. “Since I was achild, I have always loved to bake.Everybody in my family bakes; mymother; my grandmother. Although Iearned my pastry chef certificate at TheNotter School of Pastry Arts in Or-lando, my interest in baking startedback when I was in my birth country,Peru.” Coming up with the name andthe logo with the help of her son Jaime,Mili runs the café alongside her motherIsabel and daughter Stephanie, whohave helped bring her vision to life.

Styled like a posh, upscale French

café, you’ll feel as if you just steppedoff the streets in France into an ele-gant local patisserie. Drawing inspira-tion from her French and Italian roots,Mili’s menu of sweet treats is a fabu-lous reflection of her rich heritage, andcombining her Peruvian upbringingwith her unique family recipes andwhat she has learned in school, Miliputs her own little twist on some clas-sic favorites to bring you authentic,one-of-a-kind desserts that are sure totantalize your taste buds!

Mili adds, “Previous to attendingThe Notter School of Pastry Arts, Ihad knowledge of Peruvian-style bak-ing, cakes, and desserts. I have incor-porated this previous knowledge towhat I have learned in school, making

my repertoire of recipes larger, morevaried, and fresher.”

A quick look among their alluringselection of sweets and your mouth isguaranteed to start watering with an-ticipation. Everything on their menu ismade from scratch and the quality in-gredients used really makes a differ-ence in the taste!

On my previous visit I had Milipick out some of her favorites for meto try. Bringing out a plate with a fewselections, I started with the Frenchcookie – a recipe passed down fromher great grandmother. Crumbly onthe outside and moist on the inside,this delicious cookie has an even bettersurprise in the middle – a yummy layerof homemade dulce de leche. A greatlittle snack, the French cookies are theperfect portion size for those whowant a little bit of sweet.

Like truffles? Hand-made by Miliherself, her bakery showcases a fabu-lous selection of truffles, including ahuge customer favorite – her rum truf-fles. Made with a blend of rum andchocolate, the creamy consistency andrich flavor of the rum truffle is oh-sogood, making it a must try on yournext visit to Sweeties By Mili.

The last item I sampled was,Mili’s dulce de leche flavored cupcake.Made with handspun sweet butter


cream atop a vanilla cupcake, this cup-cake is so moist it literally melts inyour mouth and the butter creamicing is absolutely heavenly. Lookingfor a different flavor? Sweeties by Milihas a wonderful selection of cupcakes,for every taste and preference, whichare displayed in the front case.

Seeing that it was lunchtime Ihad to try one of her tempting café-style sandwiches – I opted for thechicken salad sandwich on a croissant.It was so tasty! You could taste thefreshness of the croissant, and thechicken salad was flavorful and deli-cious and paired perfectly with thebuttery flavor of the warm croissant.The sandwich was served alongsidetheir soup of the day – cream of cel-ery – which was really good.

Oh, did I mention I have a huge

sweet tooth? That being said,of course I couldn’t justleave without getting somemore sweets for the road.Not to mention my husbandwould be super upset if Ididn’t bring him back oneof her homemade, real-chocolate ganache brownies– wow was it good! Youcould taste the different inthat it was actually madewith real chocolate and notjust cocoa powder.

Whether you are just stopping byto grab a little treat or would like aone-of-a-kind custom cake or choco-lates that will really wow your guestsat your next party or event, SweetiesBy Mili is sure to impress! So stop bytoday and treat yourself to a littletaste of bliss!

Sweeties By Mili is located nextto Mellow Mushroom at 11961Sheldon Rd. in Tampa. Hours areMon. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Formore info or to set up an appoint-ment for a custom cake please call(813) 298.0492, (407) 694.2660,or e-mail [email protected] information can befound on their website atwww.SweetiesByMili.com or theirFacebook page.


trainers try to communicate and un-derstand the animals on both sides ofthe leash. How do you want your rela-tionship with your dog to be? Theteam at Dogism can help you maintainyour individual style in dog ownershipin a fun atmosphere that is filled withdog-friendly fun, learning and games!

Dogism owners Renee and JasonRussell, who are owned and inspiredby their two beautiful Vizslas, Lueyand Bailey, began working and train-ing in the world of competitive dogsports with their first Vizsla. Reneesays, “We loved the obedience andagility in competitions, it was a tonof fun, but very time consuming.Our idea for Dogism stemmed fromour love of training without the stricttime consuming schedule of compe-tition. We knew we wanted a placethat would offer all the fun withtraining that everyone could enjoywith their dogs!”

Renee is a Certified ProfessionalDog Trainer and an AKC Evaluator,while Jason is a Psych graduate. BothJason and Renee practice positive rein-forcement training, which is largely

based upon the renowned work ofpsychologists Ivan Pavlov and B.F.Skinner. The couple has been compet-ing for more than six years and theirVizslas have earned multiple AKC ti-tles in Agility, Obedience and FieldWork. Luey is even a certified therapydog! Jason and Renee share the mis-sion to provide fun and easy dog timeat Dogism. They have built Dogism tobe a multi-service facility where youcan achieve balance and simplicity andenjoy life with your dog.

Tail Wagging Training Dogism offers training in obedi-

ence for puppies and adult dogs. And,they will even help train you to be-come a better dog owner! With a flexi-ble schedule that includes evening andweekend classes, the Dogism teammakes it easy to work on doggie be-havioral issues, even for those with thebusiest schedules. “We understandthat life is busy and complicatedenough,” says Renee. “Our missionhere is to provide flexible courses thatcater to you and your pups needs.”Training classes at Dogism are keptsmall in size, so you can work on theindividual needs of your dog. Yourtrainer will find out what behaviorsyou need to work on with your dog

and will address your individual con-cerns and specifications.

The Dogism training philosophyis to create a learning environmentthat caters to how you want to trainyour dog. Everyone has diverse ideason the relationship they want withtheir pet and the Dogism trainers arehere to help you hone in on the bestways to help you accomplish the goalsyou have for your best friend!

Advanced registration is availablefor all training classes and you willneed to provide your dogs shotrecords. Bring a five or six foot leashto class, your dogs favorite treats and a

fun attitude with a willingness to learnwith your dog by your side and youwill be prepped and ready for the besttraining classes around!

Agility TrainingAgility courses are a great way to

have fun with your dog, implementtraining and is a healthy release foryour pup’s excess energy – plus it’s agreat workout for you too! Dogism’sclasses include Introduction toEquipment, Beginner Agility andFungility courses that will help youbuild your own self-confidence aswell as your dogs!

“Dogism”Continued from page 1


Introduction to Equipment intro-duces the agility equipment to youand your dog, while going over basicsafety rules. You will learn proper exe-cution for each piece of agility trainingequipment as a handler and your dogwill learn to use each piece with prac-tice, practice, practice! These classesare offered on Thursdays and Satur-days as continuous classes, whichmeans you can start at any time!

The Beginner Agility program isdesigned for you as a handler. Yourdog can feel your confidence andcomfort with agility equipment andtraining will go much smoother when

you are fully con-fident and versedin the workingsof agility han-dling. You willlearn to guideyour dog aroundthe course withcrosses, signingand signals thatare all based onbody language.Your dog andyou will be learn-ing a languagethat will create abond of trust

and understanding during this course!Classes are offered on Fridays and Sat-urdays, as session classes, and your dogmust be at least one year old to join.

Fungility classes at Dogism are forall levels and are suggested “for thedog and handler who feel confident intheir abilities.” Different courses areset up every week, from basic to ad-vanced, offering a continuous chal-lenge and learning experience for youand your dog! The Fungility course isopen every Thursday and Saturday.

Doggie Day Care Many dog owners will agree that

a tired dog is a good dog. Dogism of-fers a different kind of daycare that isscheduled and well planned, so yourdog gets structure, fun and trainingwhile you are away for the day. Eachdaycare class has a limit for the num-ber of dogs allowed in to ensure thateach dog is receiving a lot of attention.Trained staff will supervise your dog atall times and will learn his or her pref-erences, whether it is a favorite placeto be scratched or a certain eatingtime to eat. Basic training methods areused and there is a scheduled resttime, as well as treat time, outside timeand play area time. Small and big dogshave completely separate areas forsafety and all dogs are required to un-dergo a behavioral evaluation beforeentering daycare classes to ensure thateveryone can get along in the pack!

DIY Doggie Bathing & Tail Wag-gin’ Retail!

Bathing at Dogism is the best!Bring in your dirty dog, use Dogism’spremium supplies, save yourself someback pain, make a mess and leave witha fresh-smelling, clean pup! Dogismoffers large, raised grooming tubs,complete with ramps for large dogsand sitting shelves for small dogs. Sup-plies include specialty shampoos that

will nourish your dog’s coat and skin,plus brushes, towels, ear wipes andnail clippers are on-hand, as well asyour pick of bandannas or bows toshow off your dogs fresh new look!

Dogism’s retail store stocks col-lars, leashes, food, treats, toys andmore. You will find training tools, eco-friendly toys, safe treats and dog-ap-proved merchandise. If you wantsomething special, Dogism will try tofind it and order it in. All of the itemsin Dogism’s retail store are productsthat they would use on their own dogs– the best of the best!

The Dogism retail store is open10 a.m. –9 p.m. on Mon. – Thurs.,and 10 a.m.–8 p.m. on Fri. and Sat.;and noon–5 p.m. on Sun. DIY DogBathing is open during retail hours.

Dogism Daycare hours are 7a.m.–7 p.m. on Mon. – Fri. Evalua-tions are held by appointment only onMonday and Wednesday at 8 a.m. or 9a.m. All dogs over 6 months must bespayed or neutered.

Dogism is located at 110 PineAvenue South in Oldsmar. For acomplete calendar of events, train-ing classes, or more information,please visit www.dogism.com or call(813) 854-3647 (DOGS).


that, the quest for the perfect Spiediemarinade began.

After years of trials (and numeroustweaks based on feedback from familyand friends), the Swartwood Spiediemarinade began to take shape. Thatculinary seed that had been planteddecades ago in upstate New York hadfound root in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Having been urged on by thosewho had become familiar with hisSpiedies and with newly found timeon his hands, Rick and his son Tony,who has a food-service background,began talking about what it wouldtake to bring Spiedies to the TampaBay area.

“We knew we had to test it outand do some sort of proof of conceptbefore going too far,” Rick said. So inJanuary 2013 The Swartwood’sbegan introducing Spiedies to theTampa Bay area at Farmers Marketsand music events using the nameRick had in his back pocket for years,The Great Spiedini.

At one of the larger events, theJohn’s Pass Seafood Festival, Rick’spersonal favorite, the Shrimp Spiedini,took second place. “It was the first

time we had ever usedthe marinade onseafood” said Rick.

That win, coupledwith the public’s consis-tent positive reception,gave the Swartwood’sconfidence to take theconcept to the next,more permanent step.

Combining thehuman resources skills ofhis wife, culinary talentsof his son, and Rick’s op-erations and financialbackground, the Swart-wood’s began the ardu-ous process of planning the launch ofrestaurant.

After careful consideration, thelocation in the Westchase ShoppingPlaza, 9648 West Linebaugh Avenuewas chosen, partly because they wereinspired by the successes of the twoother well-known establishmentsfounded there – Burger 21 andWorld of Beer.

Eighteen months from hopefulvision to brick and mortar reality, Rickand family opened The Great SpiediniFamily Grill in Westchase.

Here, guests can enjoy traditionalTriple Cities Spiedies or a deluxe ver-sion that can be jazzed up with one of

eight themed finishes as well as yourchoice of an Amoroso roll, a wheatwrap, or having your sandwich platedover a bed of Romaine lettuce.

If a patron chooses the traditionalSpiedie – either pork or chicken – hewill find himself enjoying the most fla-vorful, moistest and tender perfectlygrilled cubes of skewered meat.

Though the deluxe choices rangefrom savory favorites such as theGreek, the Philly, the Buffalo, and theMarsala, I recommend you try the tra-ditional first. And, make sure you eatthe Italian bread that sops up themarinade deliciousness.

They can also savor Spiedini Mari-nated Options including the restau-

rant’s signature Steak Sandwich withmushrooms, cherry peppers, onions,and American cheese to his mouth-watering Shrimp Spiedini.

The Great Spiedini’s menudoesn’t exclude the vegetarian. Oneof the most popular sandwiches istheir Spiedini Marinated Portobellothat is grilled and topped with freshmozzarella, roasted peppers, alfalfasprouts, and pesto sauce and served ona toasted ciabatta roll.

If a guest chooses to order Rick’sfavorite option, the Shrimp Spiedini,be prepared to never order anythingelse but that meal again and again.This scrumptious appetizer features sixsucculent shrimp, freckled with pepper

“Great Spiedini”Continued from page 1

The Great Spiedini offers a variety of fresh options ontheir fabulous menu.


and other spices nestled a top a springmix and decorated with a lemon.

Take a moment to breathe in thewonderful aroma before indulging inthis delicious seared seafood. Yourtaste buds will be treated to a flavorfulmarinade – that Rick will never reveal– with a short-lasting bite of heat.

“The secret is in the marinade,”said Rick. “It brings out incredible fla-vors in our offerings and we add just adab of heat to serve as a pleasant littleside effect.”

Other non-meat options includesalads like the Strawberry Mango KaleSalad with kale, strawberries, mango,

sliced almonds, avocado and fetacheese, complemented by a mangovinaigrette or the Caprese TomatoStack with sweet yellow tomatoes, redtomatoes, mozzarella, and freshchopped basil topped with a vinai-grette made from vinegar and oilsfrom fellow Westchase merchant, TheOlive Tree.

The Great Spiedini also offersdeep-fried chicken wings made 5 dif-ferent ways – Naked, BBQ, Medium,Hot, or for the brave soul, Ass-Troid,with a Garlic Parmesan offering on theway. In a short time, the Great Spie-dini wings have already been dubbed,

“the best in Westchase” and to some,the best in Tampa Bay.

The Swartwood’s are excited tointroduce Spiedie sandwiches andtheir Spiedini Marinated counterpartsto a new state and brings a little bit ofhome to Westchase’s Triple Citiestransplants and seasonal snowbirds.

On January 24, The GreatSpiedini will be hosting a mixer forSpiedie Lovers “from upstate NewYork to Tampa Bay.” Not only willthe mixer feature Spiedies, but alsoa classic favorite side dish – salt po-tatoes smothered in butter and gar-nished with parsley and thyme.And let’s not forget the upstate fa-vorites, Genesee Cream Ale andRed Cat Wine.

Besides bringing a unique Italianimmigrant flavor profile to theWestchase community, Rick promisesa family friendly atmosphere, a wellbalanced kids menu, along with a mixof music and sports and “the nicestpatio in Westchase.”

“The Great Spiedini is kind ofmelting pot in its own right,” ex-plained Rick. “Mom and Dad cancome in on Saturday and enjoy a mealand sip on a glass of wine while thekids hang out in the Bounce House.We also have live entertainment onSaturday’s as well as seven TV’s that

are tuned to follow the Tampa andNew York sports scenes, particularlyBuffalo and Syracuse.”

Monday is Kid’s Day at TheGreat Spiedini, followed by Tradi-tional Tuesday, Wing Wednesday andBurger Thursday. Friday and Saturdayare open to chef’s discretion and Sun-day guests can enjoy specials on buck-ets of their favorite bottled beer andwings. The Great Spiedini also fea-tures a full catering menu for eventslarge or small.

The Swartwood’s long-term goalis to develop franchises for theirunique brand of offerings. But fornow, Rick is more than satisfied withworking hard at The Great Spiediniand enjoying time in his family busi-ness and taking it one step at a time

The Great Spiedini is located at9648 West Linebaugh Avenue inWestchase. They are open Mon. –Fri. 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sat.10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Sun.10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. The patio ispet-friendly and the restaurant fea-tures Happy Hour – 50% Off Beerand Wine Mon. – Thur. 5:00 p.m. –8:00p.m. with an early FridayHappy Hour beginning at 4 p.m.For additional info please call (813)749-7522 or visitwww.TheGreatSpiedini.com.

Westchase Area Neighborhood News & LifestylesFor Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com22 JANUARY 2015

Westchase Area Neighborhood News & Lifestyles For Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com JANUARY 2015 23

Westchase Area Neighborhood News & LifestylesFor Ad Info 813-928-6124 • NNLFlorida.com24 JANUARY 2015

Documents

Westchase - Vol. 4, Issue 1, January 2015