UC Tampa - Feb 2010 Edition Part 2

In This Issue

1. Food News: Get Greece-y. Moon Waxes. Bistro Wanes.
2. Davis Islands Dog Park Scheduled For Grooming
3. Walk into Ybor’s Secret Past
4. Seminole Heights Bicycle Club's Hub-Grub Bike Ride
5. Ride A Dragon - Tampa Dragon Boat Races

6. News & Rumors ... and much more!

Food News: Get Greece-y. Moon Waxes. Bistro Wanes.

The Bungalow Bistro of Seminole Heights will soon be home to The Refinery.

Seminole Heights ‘Bistro’ gets Refined
The Bungalow Bistro of Seminole Heights (5137 N. Florida Ave.) has been sold to Greg and Michelle Baker of Cooks-n-Company (a personal chef service). While currently still being operated under the “Bistro” moniker and menu, Greg stated the couple is planning to launch an entirely new restaurant, The Refinery, and menu by March 2009.

Click here to read full story.
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China Moon shines on Heights & West Tampa
China Moon New York Style Chinese Food is now open at 1900 W. Dr. Marin Luther King Jr. Blvd. for take out and delivery to residents of West Tampa, Wellswood, Seminole Heights, Riverside Heights and other nearby areas.

Click here to read full story.
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Shout Out for Channelside’s new Taverna Opa

Following UC Tampa’s exclusive story of Taverna Opa coming to downtown’s Channelside Entertainment Complex, the Greek restaurant is now open in the former Grille 21 location (underneath the old Margarita Mama’s).

Click here to read full story.

Neighbor to the North's Restaurant Bike Tour

Event Flyer

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - The Seminole Heights Bicycle Club invites all to tour the neighborhood's restaurants via bicycle. At each stop, riding participants will have the get the chance to check out some of the area's favorite haunts and munch on a quick snack before heading off their next destination.

When:
February 27, 3-5:30pm

Cost:
Free

Schedule*:
3pm - Hub-Grub Bike Ride leaves from the Garden Center (5800 Central Ave.)
3:15 PM - Reservations Gourmet-To-Go
3:35 PM - Taco Bus
3:50 PM - Starbucks
4:10 PM - Front Porch Grille & Bar
4:25 PM - Bungalow Bistrow
(now name The Refinery)
4:45 PM - Independent
5 PM - Cappy's Pisseria
5:20 PM - Ella's Folk Art Cafe

* Times are approximate. All bicyclists assume responsibility for their safety. This is a meetup-style bike ride and all participants must wear a bicycle helmet and ride a road-worthy bicycle.

Gimme Seven! New Restaurants Rolling into the Urban Corridor.

Old location of Big John's Alabama BBQ.

URBAN CORRIDOR – The new year appears to have brought with it a flurry of restaurants for downtown Tampa and its nearby, Urban Corridor neighborhoods. Seven dining establishments, some with names familiar to the area, some not, have either opened or are expected to open by the end of March.

West Tampa: Green Iguana Bar & Grill, a local’s hangout on Ybor City’s Seventh Avenue, is taking over the old Stadium Bennigan’s Bar & Grille location (2520 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.). This will be the company’s seventh Bay Area location with a full bar and open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. According to its website, the new location will “open soon;” however sources indicate “by the end of March.” Updates are available on the Green Iguana Twitter site: http://twitter.com/thegreeniguana.

Downtown: The Urban Cantina is set to open in downtown Tampa (200 E. Madison Ave.) by the end of February. The owner is reported to be Christopher Rivas, who is a resident of nearby SkyPoint Condominiums, where he was once reported to be opening a Mexican restaurant called Azteca. Those plans fell through, but from visual inspection of the new location, it clearly appears to be built out, fitted with tables and dining ware, and days away from opening. www.urbancantina.com

Sono Café will open February 6 inside the new Tampa Museum of Art. It will overlook the banks of the Hillsborough River and be accessible by everyone through an admission-free entrance. The café will seat 75, including waterfront tables, and offer menu items in accordance with the “Slow Food Movement.” The owners of downtown’s Mise en Place Restaurant will operate the café.

Already open is International Café, a lunchtime eatery open five days a week at 601 E. Twiggs St.

East Tampa: Big John’s Alabama BBQ is set to open at nearly the same spot (5707 N. 40th St.) as its old, demolished location (which happened because of a city road expansion project). For the many fans of the 40-year-old establishment, their wait will be over early February.

Ybor City: Gallery Rasika has opened on Seventh Avenue in the former location of L’Olivier Cabaret. It features modern Indian fusion dishes inspired from an “age old approach to dining,” according to its website. Much like tapas bars, guests are encouraged to choose a variety of appetizers and entrees and share them with their dining companions. www.galleryrasika.com

Heights Areas: Greg and Michelle Baker, the owners of Cooks-n-Company (the personal chef service), are planning to open a brick and mortar restaurant in Seminole Heights. Although a verbal agreement has been made for the couple to take over an existing “turn key” location, a contract has yet to be signed.

Once official, the Bakers hope to open The Refinery by the end of February, which will feature a large selection of small, “bigger than most tapas” plates made from locally grown ingredients when possible.

See original posting at www.uctampa.com.

Valentine's Day menu for The Refinery

The Refinery (5137 North Florida Ave.) will be serving their Valentine's Day menu from 5pm to 9pm this Sunday evening.

Call for reservations: 813-237-2000

Appetizers:
Appalachicola Oyster: strawberry-serrano mignonette $2
Sea Scallop: vanilla, mango, cucumber, white chocolate, Sriracha $8
Goat Cheese Tart: leek, yellow foot chantrelle, creme fraiche $8

Soup:
Lobster Bisque: vanilla, ancho chiles $8

Salad:
Arugula: granny smith apple, gorgonzola, walnut, sherry vinaigrette

Entrees:
Hereford NY Strip: yukon gold-yellow foot chantrelle-gorgonzola gratin, roasted asparagus, truffle butter, zinfandel reduction $22

Mahi Mahi: sour orange, fennel, radish, mango-israeli-couscous, champagne beurre blanc $20

Duck Breast: cherry, zinfandel, chocolate, granny smith apple, risotto cake, rapini $22

Desserts:
Bleeding Heart Pavlova: macerated local berries, meringue $8
Chocolate Mousse: Mexican spices, bacon brittle

The Refinery is now open!

Seems things ramped up faster than anticipated - The Refinery (mentioned in a post below) is now open for business in the old Bungalow Bistro just up the road a piece from us here in Tampa Heights. The Bakers will be converting the restaurant (and the menu) over in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

UC Tampa - Feb 2010 Edition Part 1

In This Issue

-A SERIOUS ART ATTACK

-NEW RESTAURANTS ROLLING IN

-CELEBRATE THE BUNGALOW

-HALT! ARMORY BACK TO MARKET

-PRO BASKETBALL IN TAMPA

-NEWS & RUMORS ... and much more!

American Basketball Association announces Tampa Bay expansion

DOWNTOWN - The American Basketball Association (ABA) has announced it will add a team in Tampa Bay for the 2010-2011 season.

"This is the first of 10 ABA teams that will be owned and operated by SEP (Sports Equity Partners) in the Southeast,” stated Joe Newman, ABA’s CEO. "We are very happy to be returning to the Tampa area.”

Additional markets will be named shortly.

The yet to be named team is expected to begin play in November at a to-be-determined home court location. ABA officials have indicated their interest in building a future, permanent sports arena in Tampa Heights area (which is adjacent to downtown, on the north side of Interstate 275).

Read more here.

The Refinery set to open in Seminole Heights

While not technically in Tampa Heights, this new spot will be opening in our more popular sister's neck of the woods. Check out the details on the Creative Loafing blog.



I was a fan of the Culinary Sherpas before I was friends with them. The fact that Michelle fed me hot wings and bacon-wrapped grilled stuffed jalapenos last night in no way led to me posting this. How's that for disclosure?

Urb Your Enthusiasm - Nov/Dec '09 Issue of UC Tampa Magazine

In This Issue

URB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

WHAT IS TAMPA'S URBAN CORRIDOR?

PIZZAIOLO BAVARO RESTAURANT

THE INDEPENDENT BEER HALL

YOUR UNIQUE, LOCAL SHOPS & RESTAURANTS

NEWS & RUMORS

CHOOSING FAVORITES

STAYING CONNECTED

& MUCH, MUCH MORE

House Fire in Tampa Heights at 408 Hugh Street

Early monday morning there was a house fire at the home of Davey & Sharon Zeigler in Tampa Heights. At around 3 a..m Clint Bowers, next door neighbor was awoken by noise & flames coming from the electrical panel. He quickly alerted the Zeiglers and they were able to escape with no major injuries. The Red Cross has found temporary housing for the family. Please, let this be a warning to all of us. I know these old houses can get really cold but please follow these few tips. Don't fall asleep with space heaters running. Make sure if you do run space heaters to have them pull off of separate breakers. If you have keyed deadbolt locks leave your key in them when you go to sleep. Test your smoke alarms, etc.

Reviews?

Anyone been to Ella's yet? The Independent? Care to tell us about your experience? Send it in!

I'm curious about The Independent and meant to go in there myself on Friday night, but the storm stopped me. The only thing I seem to hear with frequency is that it's expensive. Can anyone comment?

The Independent

Our Seminole Heights neighbors to the north of us, have finally got their own version of St. Pete's famous beer hall, The Independent . They are having a "soft opening" tonight (Oct. 8) and the "Grand Opening" on Friday. So if you like good beer / wine and conversation feel free to stop by and check it out. Make sure you grab something to eat before you go though, because they are not currently serving food. ( Might I suggest Grass Roots or Ella's) The Independent is located at 5016 N Florida Avenue (Just south of Hillsborough Ave)

Robles Park

As a child growing up I the Tampa Bay area (Brandon) there were always three things that stood out to me while traveling on the Interstate 275 North/South through Tampa. The Sulphur Springs tower, the steeple of Seminole Heights Baptist Church and the beautiful park that abutted the interstate close to Downtown Tampa. Little did I know that as an adult I would find myself living a block away from this park that I now know as Robles Park.
I now enjoy jogging & walking through the park several times a week, with an occasional basketball shoot around now & again. Of course in the fall there are Youth Football practices on the north end (Robles Park Wildcats) but for the most part Robles Park is rather peaceful with a few fishermen present. I am not quite sure what kind of fish they are attempting to catch, but there is a “Beware of Alligator” sign posted on the ponds perimeter. Although after many days at the park, I have yet to see this alligator. The most rewarding part of being at the park is seeing all the bumper to bumper traffic stuck on the Interstate trying to head east on I-4 back to the ‘burbs. It reminds me of why I enjoy living in Tampa Heights and makes me glad that I do not live in Brandon anymore. So if you haven’t been to Robles Park lately, you should give it a go before the days get shorter. Hopefully I will see you while I am circling the pond.

UC Tampa Magazine Sept/Oct 2009

See complete version online at:
www.UCTampa.com

WHAT'S HAUNTING YBOR?
The Ghostly Side of Ybor City ... Pg. 18

A HAND UP, NOT OUT
The Freecycle Network ... Pg. 06

A FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD HAUNT
Gaspar's Grotto Bar & Grill ... Pg. 24

NEWS&RUMORS
18 Bites of Neighborhood Gossip ... Pg. 12

FIT FOR PRINT: PART 2
The Goal ... Pg. 08

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
Our Fave 5ive ... Pg. 28

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Movies @ Cafe Hey!

From an email release:

Cafe Hey is pleased to host free movies throughout the year. We generally show two free movies a month. We choose these movies from local productions, personal favorites, and cult classics. Movies typically start at 7pm unless otherwise noted.

The ambiance is relaxed and social, and most importantly, within the comfort of air-conditioning. BYOB is encouraged, as is heckling (unless it is discouraged by fellow viewers). We project the movies on a large screen that is easily seen by the entire room while facing towards the screen, with our super surround sound system that rivals THX for engineering quality. The full Cafe Hey menu is available during films.

Cafe Hey summer movie schedule:
June 12 The Brain That Wouldn't Die
June 26 At War with the Army
July 17 Bloody Pit of Horror
July 31 A Boy and His Dog
August 14 Last Woman on Earth
August 28 The Life of Oharu
September 11 (TBA)
September 25 Salt of the Earth

Note: Local filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films! We want to encourage local art!

Contact Anne or Cheong for more info.
Cafe Hey is located at 1540 N. Franklin Street; Tampa, FL 33602.
813.221.5150
www.myspace.com/cafehey

UC TAMPA MAGAZINE May/June 2009 Edition

(formerly New Heights Magazine)
See complete version online at www.UCTampa.com.
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WIN UP TO $450 IN PRIZES!
Kids Play Cutest Photo Contest
Send us your cutest photo of your child(ren) and you could win up to $450 in prizes and see your child(ren) on the next cover of UC Tampa!

OPPORTUNITIES N.O.K.
The "North of Kennedy" Business Boom

GREEN&EARTH
Home Detox

FOOD&DRINK
Downtown's The Tampa Club

PEOPLE&PLACES
Working Out At The Gem

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
The Fave 5ive

NEWS&RUMORS
What's Happening In Your Neighborhood?!

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URBAN CORRIDOR (UC) = Downtown, Heights Areas, South Tampa, Ybor, The Islands, West Tampa & surrounding areas.

Tampa Heights Things to Do

From the newsletter sent by the Tampa Heights Civic Association:

If you're a dog owner, looking to be a dog owner, or just looking for something fun to do, you've gotta make it to these events. They should be alot of fun and you help to support your local communities & organizations.

What: Dog Wash and Fundraising Event
When: May 17th, 10am-3pm
Where: Water Works Park, 1710 N. Highland Ave.

Dog Wash, Vendors, Rescue Orgs, Groomers and More!

PAWS IN YBOR

Bark Busters-Behavior Challenge FREE Contests, Great Prizes!

What: will benefit the Greyhound Gang and VOCAL (Voice of Compassion for Animal Life).
When: SATURDAY, MAY 16, 10AM - 2PM
Where: Centennial Park, Eighth Avenue and 19th Street in Ybor City.

Admission is free. For information, call 241-2442.

* PET PHOTOS, PAW PAINTING
* DOG TREATS & ACCESSORIES
* SO MUCH MORE!

Happy Hour on the Tampa River Taxi
SEATING IS LIMITED. TAMPA'S NEW HAPPY HOUR CRUISE EVERY FRIDAY WEATHER PERMITTING 5:00 - 8:30pm Just $5.00 per person for the ride! (BYOB drinks and food are allowed and encouraged on the boat, cooler provided) Space is limited to the first 40 confirmed guests so please call or e-mail now. Be one of the 1st 40 and be invited as a complementary guest on other scheduled events.

Happy Hour Pick Up Locations:
Cafe Dufrain: 5PM Depart 5:05
Cotanchobee Park/St. Pete Times Forum: 5:10 Depart 5:15
Convention Center: 5:20 Depart 5:25
Performing Arts Center: 5:45 Depart 5:50
The Heights of Tampa Bay: 6:00 Depart 6:05

Arrive at Rick's on the River by 6:12 You will be able to disembark for drinks and food. Reboarding will begin at 7:15 and the boat departs at 7:30 for the twilight return to your orignal departure point.

Capt. Cliff Conatser 813-369-8294
www.TampaRiverTaxi.com
Cliff@TheFunBoat.com

For sale? Garage Sales? News? Send it to me!

If you have Tampa Heights related news - services, garage sale notices, properties for sale, events - anything - please send them on to me at maladrin AT gmail DOT com.

I will post any items to the blog for you!

Do you live in Tampa Heights and would dig on being a blog contributer? Email me and we can talk about setting you up as part of the blog. I need help with stories and contributions!

You are Invited - THCA Holiday Social

Tampa Heights Civic Association Holiday Social

Bring a Dish - Come Out and Enjoy Some Time With Your Neighbors

December 18, 2008, Starting at 7:00 pm

At Robles Park Community Center

3305 N. Avon Ave. Tampa Florida 33603