Tampa Bay Resorts

Hey Tampa Bay, Alex here to tell you about a Gala that will benefit The Gulf Coast Iguana Sanctuary and Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Rescue, Rehab, and Release Program.

Lizard Live II, a Gala Fundraising Event, will take place on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at the Sirata Beach & Conference Center on St. Pete Beach.
 
The fundraiser, called, “Lizard Live II” will occur in the Majestic Ballroom of Sirata Beach Resort from 7 PM to ? for a night of drinks, live appetizers, silent auction, live auction, music and dancing.  This year’s MC continues to be Rhonda Shear accompanied by The Lizard Ladies and the music will be provided by Tom Gribbin and The Saltwater Band.

Tickets for this benefit are $50.00 in advance; $65.00 at the door; and, $1,500 for a sponsor table of 10, which will also get the sponsor special recognition on the new Iguana Habitat to be built on the premises of Sirata Beach Resort.  Tickets will include 2 drinks and light appetizers.  Wear your best green outfits, as there will be prizes, a silent auction, a live auction and lots of FUN!

The Gulf Coast Iguana Sanctuary is a newly created Not-For-Profi,t co-sponsored with Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Rescue, Rehab, and Release program,  that rescues and provides habitat for abandoned Iguana's in Pinellas County. The sanctuary includes educational components on green iguanas in the State of Florida and the responsibility of raising exotic reptiles.

As a result, of its rescue efforts, the current habitat no longer is large enough for its inhabitants, and others, still to be rescued.  Part of the proceeds will also go to The Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Rescue, Rehab, and Release program. The Sirata Beach Resort and Conference Center is located at 5300 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706. 

For more Information & Reservations, contact Lenne Nicklaus-Ball, 727-363-5148, or e-mail, LizardLive@sirata.com.  You can now make a tax deductible donation.

Head over to the Sirata Beach & Conference Center on Saturday, September 25, 2010 to enjoy a fun night of drinks, appetizers, music and more, all for a good cause!

Hey Tampa Bay, Alex here to tell you about the chef’s responsible for creating some of the fabulous dishes that will be featured during Tampa’s Restaurant Week. 

Tampa Bay is home to a long list of prestigious chefs, known for preparing a variety of fabulous food! Below is a list of a few that will be participating in Tampa’s Restaurant Week.

Kiel Lombardo- Executive Chef, Roy's Tampa
Growing up in upstate New York, Kiel Lombardo watched his uncle and father dish out a nightly feast for their big Italian family. At the age of 15, Kiel took his first job as a prep cook at a local Italian bistro. He later went on to earn a degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at New Hampshire College, and now he is the Executive Chef at Roy’s Tampa. Kiel is responsible for overseeing the menu that features Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.


Jason Maddens- Executive Chef, Jackson's Bistro
Jason Maddens left his studies in Aerospace Engineering at West Virginia University in 2003 to pursue a career in cooking. Upon graduation from Washington D.C.'s prestigious L' Academie de Cuisine, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, he began his training at 2941 Restaurant in Washington D. C, becoming a sous chef after two years. Leaving the D. C. area in 2007, his travels have taken him to every corner of the European continent, as well as his own country. Chef Madden’s newest tenure has begun at downtown Tampa’s well-know Jacksons Bistro, Bar & Sushi. A sous chef since April 2008, Chef Jason has recently assumed control of the 20,000 square foot facility as Executive Chef.


Marty Blitz- Owner/Proprietor/Head Chef, Mise En Place
As a young adult, New York native Marty Blitz owner and head chief, apprenticed under European-trained Master Chef Milos Cihelka at the Golden Mushroom, a well-known restaurant outside Detroit, through the prestigious American Culinary Federation. Blitz's career actually began though, at age 12 when he started working in his neighborhood Jewish delicatessen. Blitz has since spent his nearly 30 years in the industry expanding a culinary repertoire that now includes the Southeast’s many cultures and flavors. Under his guidance Mise en Place’ expanded both its catering business and its in-house capabilities growing from  six-table diner in 1986 to its current evolution as a full-service restaurant seating up to 240 people and preparing as many as a 1,000 meals in an evening.



Gabriel Silva- Executive Chef, The Palm Restaurant
Executive Chef, Gabriel Silva was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. He moved to South Florida where he attended Florida Culinary Institute in Palm Beach County and graduated at the top of his class in 1992. While in Palm Beach, Chef Gabriel worked as an Executive Sous Chef for 4 and 5 star hotels such as the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, Sheraton City Place and The Breakers Hotel. Gabriel he joined the Palm team as Sous Chef in 2004 and was promoted to Executive Chef in January 2008.


Fabrizio Schenardi- Executive Chef, Pelagia Trattoria
Fabrizio Schenardi, executive chef of the Tampa Bay fine dining restaurant Pelagia Trattoria, first honed his culinary and pastry skills while studying and training in Italy, where he learned the essence of Italian cuisine. A native of Rivoli, Italy, Schenardi incorporates flavors from his homeland into many of his most popular dishes at our Tampa Airport Restaurant. Diners enjoy his creativity daily at Pelagia Trattoria, a one-of-a-kind Tampa Bay fine dining experience that adjoins the Four Diamond- rated Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza.



Kory Foltz- Chef de Cuisine, Oystercatchers 
Kory Foltz has been in the foodservice industry for over 15 years, five of which has been with Hyatt Corporation. Prior to accepting the position as Chef de Cuisine at Oystercatchers, his work at the Grand Hyatt Tampa has included Chef de Cuisine Petey Brown's, acting Banquet Chef, as well as working in every outlet of the hotel.

 

Shane Schaibly-Director of Food and Beverage, The Melting Pot
Shane Schaibly is the Director of Food and Beverage for The Melting Pot restaurants. On the culinary side, Shane is responsible for overseeing the research and development and cost planning for all of The Melting Pot’s menu offerings.  He creates and assists in the procurement of all new menu items for The Melting Pot’s signature Big Night Out menu, which changes every March and September and is loosely themed around a different region of the world each time.  He works closely with The Melting Pot’s vendor partners and research and development chefs to ensure that the fondue chain is putting out more than exceptional food every time!


Chad Johnson- Executive Chef, SideBern's
Johnson, who has been at the helm of SideBern's since 2007, has been featured in USA Today, the Tampa Tribune, Boca Raton Magazine, Florida Living Magazine and was a finalist in the 2008 Copa Jerez Sherry Pairing Competition. At SideBern’s, Johnson focuses on serving guests products that are locally sources(within an hour and a half from the restaurant) and emphasizes seasonal, premium ingredients. Her prepares them using modern cooking techniques that highlight the ingredient’s inherent flavors and this is what continues to keep guests returning.


 
Chef John Saxton- Executive Chef, Urban Culinary Cuisine
John Saxton, Executive Chef at Urban Culinary Cuisine Café, has always had a passion for great food. John was once a Chef's Apprentice, learning from Chefs from around the world, at the infamous "Windows On The World" on the 107th Floor of the World Trade Center in NYC. He was asked by Barbara Smith to assist her in developing her first restaurant, B. Smith's, located on 8th Avenue in NYC. Johns extensive career and passion for food has led him to open Urban Culinary Cuisne Café. Known simply as “Chef” by the locals, his experience has influenced the development of his own signature menu ranging from “u[scale cuisine” to “southern comfort food” to very sensual desserts.


Daniel Desmond- Executive Chef, Saddlebrook Resort
Daniel Desmond, Executive Chef at Saddlebrook Resort since 1998, is responsible for all resort restaurants, menu creation, nutritional needs for the resort's sports program and private school as well as a staff of over 70 people.
Chef Daniel is heavily involved in all aspects of the resort’s signature restaurant.  Dempsey’s Steak House, Tropics Restaurant and Lounge, The Poolside Café and Bar, The Coffee Bar, the resorts Pasty Shop, as well as the Banquet Kitchen, which prepares all banquet meals for meeting groups as well as social events at Saddlebrook.


Mark Heimann- Executive Chef, Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club 
The Vinoy Executive Chef graduated from the Kendall Culinary School in Chicago and held several culinary positions throughout the Chicago area before joining the Vinoy in May of 1995.  As the Executive Chef of the award-winning historic hotel. Mark oversees the Vinoy's five superior restaurants, each featuring its own unique ambiance and cuisine, from the resort's signature dining room of Marchand's Bar & Grill to the more casual Alfresco. Also responsible for the resort's award-winning banquet department, Chef Heimann hosts extravagant gatherings with an imaginative culinary style that has become a Vinoy trademark.

 
Jonathon Luft- Executive Chef, InterContinental Tampa
After discovering a passion for cooking while watching his grandmother growing up, Jonathan Luft has amassed over 15 years of experience cooking in luxury resorts and properties across the country. As Executive Chef at InterContinental Tampa, Luft has elevated the level of fine dining at one of Tampa’s best steak houses and the city’s newest luxury hotel. He came to Tampa to take the helm of Shula’s Steak House and InterContinental Tampa after the restaurant and hotel underwent an $18 million dollar revitalization. Luft has enjoyed re-establishing Shula’s as an area favorite serving specialties such as fresh seafood, heavenly desserts and the Shula’s Cite, which less than 2% of all steaks qualify for.




Gerado Bayona- Corporate Chef, Columbia Restaurant
Geraldo is the Corporate Chef for the Columbia Restaurant Group. He is based out of the flagship Columbia Restaurant in Tampa's Historic District of Ybor City. He was named Corporate Chef in 2005, and works closely with all the Columbia Restaurants to assure that the family's century old recipes, ingredients and food meet Columbia Restaurant's high standards while at the same time creating new recipes and keeping up with the food trends.



Ben Bowman- Executive Chef, Mitchell's Fish Market
Executive Chef Ben Bowman attended the Columbus College of Art and Design from 1996-2000 and has 15 years of experience in the restaurant business under his belt. His journey includes eight years with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants of Columbus, Ohio.



Kelly Marshall- Executive Chef, Wyndham Tampa Westshore
Executive Chef Kelly Marshall has been cooking professionally for fifteen years and has spent five of those years at the Wyndham Tampa Westshore (formerly known as the Quorum Hotel Tampa) overseeing the Blue Water Grill restaurant and catering operations for their 12,000 square feet of banquet space.


Now that you know who is responsible for cooking your food at some of Tampa’s local restaurants, why don’t you go give it a try during Tampa Bay's Restaurant Week 2010, which will be in Tampa from August 29- September 6, 2010.

Check back often for updates on Tampa Bay dining and where to eat in Tampa Bay!
 

Hey Tampa Bay.. Alex here to let you know that for the second consecutive year, Expedia travelers rated InterContinental Tampa among the world’s best hotels on this year’s Expedia Insiders’ Select list.

The Expedia list formally recognizes individual hotels worldwide that consistently deliver excellent service, a great overall experience and a notable value. The full list represents only a small percentage of the world’s top hotels from the more than 110,000 hotel properties offered on Expedia.

The 2010 Expedia Insiders’ Select list is compiled based on the more than one million Traveler Opinions hotel reviews collected by Expedia, combined with a value rating and the local market expertise of more than 400 Expedia employees in local markets worldwide, resulting in an easy-to-browse list that provides travelers with a powerful way to find the perfect hotel using the trusted insight of other travelers like them. The list showcases the diverse selection of travel destinations and hotel properties.

InterContinental Tampa is one of more than 30 independent, upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers by Destination Hotels & Resorts, the fourth largest independent hospitality management company in the country. The AAA Four Diamond property offers a rooftop pool with spectacular views of the bay and city; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and outstanding on-site dining at the world-famous Shula’s Steak House. 

Guests can also enjoy gourmet Illy coffee products and “fare on the go” at Caffé, and an extensive cocktail menu at Shula’s No Name Lounge.

Make sure you reserve a room at one of the world’s best hotels, InterContinental Tampa,  today!  For more information and reservations, please call the InterContinental Tampa at (866)402-0758 or visit www.intercontampa.com. Check back often for more information on Tampa Bay's Attractions & Hotels! Thanks and stay tuned in for more updates on things to do in Tampa Bay from me and the rest of the Tampa Bay team!

We just got this update, and we HAD to share and say congrats to our partners over at the InterContinental Hotel.  Here's the scoop -

Expedia® travelers rated nine Destination Hotels & Resorts properties among the world’s best hotels on this year’s Expedia Insiders’ Select™ list. Destination properties that received the acknowledgement include Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Wild Dunes Resort in South Carolina, Sunriver Resort in Oregon, The Gant in Aspen, Hotel ICON in Houston, The Driskill in Austin, Wailea Beach Villas on Maui, Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe and InterContinental Tampa.

The Expedia list formally recognizes individual hotels worldwide that consistently deliver excellent service, a great overall experience and a notable value. The full list represents only a small percentage of the world’s top hotels from the more than 110,000 hotel properties offered on Expedia.

The 2010 Expedia Insiders’ Select™ list is compiled based on the more than one million Traveler Opinions hotel reviews collected by Expedia, combined with a value rating and the local market expertise of more than 400 Expedia employees in local markets worldwide, resulting in an easy-to-browse list that provides travelers with a powerful way to find the perfect hotel using the trusted insight of other travelers like them. The list showcases the diverse selection of travel destinations and hotel properties.

Destination Hotels & Resorts is the fourth largest independent hospitality management companies in the United States with more than 30 luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers. The company has developed a variety of initiatives to better serve its communities, stakeholders and customers including Destination Earth, an environmental sustainability program, and the Destination Delivers guest loyalty program, which provides the best available offers to members.
Destination operates properties in key metropolitan areas and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Denver, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Palm Springs, Houston and Lake Tahoe. Destination is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based investment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises. For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit www.DestinationHotels.com or to join Destination Delivers, visit www.DestinationDelivers.com.

So, once again, congrats to the InterContinental Tampa Hotel!  Keep checking back here for more Tampa tourism udpates, including info about great things to do in Tampa Bay and other Tampa Bay area events. 
 

Travis back with more Tampa Bay area events for everyone to enjoy.  The Florida Orchestra has their Pops in the Park Concerts for all of Tampa Bay to enjoy.  Here's the scoop on the next event:

Enjoy free Pops in the Park Concerts under the stars with your Florida Orchestra, offering a fun mix of familiar symphonic and pop favorites with Stuart Chafetz conducting. They will take place -

Sunday, May 9 (Mother’s Day) at the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa

To get more information and updates, just log on to http://www.floridaorchestra.org/event_info.asp?id=96&utm_medium=email&utm_source=peer360&utm_campaign=AprilMediaCalendar&utm_content=0910OfNoteEmailHeader

You can bet you'll see me out there!  And I'll see you back here for more great things to do in Tampa Bay, including info about Tampa Bars, Tampa Bay resorts and much more. 

• $190 Room Rate
• 10% Master Account Rebate
• Complimentary Cocktail Reception
• Available March 12th to March 21st, 2010
• Minimum 50 Rooms Per Night on Peak Night
• Two Night Minimum

Hi all...Travis back with an update from a community partner that we just had to share...so here it is. 

Due to the overwhelming appeal of famous television shows today, outstanding chefs have been praised for their culinary genius.  This event will have Tampa Bay’s prominent chefs put in the limelight and will raise much needed funds for the Child Abuse Council. 

This is a one-of-a-kind event created in Tampa Bay, and is sure to be world wide news!  Twenty five of Tampa Bay’s premier chefs will be invited to participate in this culinary adventure. 

They will bring their own ambience and excellence to the area’s elite.  Each chef designs their own menu and prepares – tableside – their five course meal with accompanying wine for a table of ten people. 

Chefs will receive points in attempt to claim the title of “Top Chef of the Year Tampa Bay”.  It takes place on Monday, March 15, 2010, from 6pm to 9pm at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Tampa. 

And here's some great news...one of Tampa's favorite people will be the master of ceremonies...it's Jack Harris!!!!

Reservations/tickets for attendees will be available for $250 per person on Monday, January 4, 2010, and trust me, this benefits a GREAT cause.  These paid reservations will be on a first come, first serve basis. 

Guest will not know who their chef will be until the evening of the event. (I guess to eliminate any favoritism).  Guests with food allergies, restrictions, or vegetarian needs will be given consideration.

And, in case you're interested, corporate sponsorship packages are available prior to January...if interested, just call 813-673-4646 x224 for more information.

Some of the already confirmed restaurants involved are:

Armani’s - Chef Mike Vonburg
Avanzare - Chef Dori Smith
Café Eden - Chef Anthony Kelly
Center Club - Chef Frederic Reiser
Coretta on the Gulf, Sandpearl Resort - Chef Steve Jordan
Fleming’s – Chef Ryan Mitchell
Kona Grill- Chef Sean Biggs
Mangroves Seafood Grille & Bar - Chef Al Goldun
Oystercatchers - Chef Kenny Hunsberger
Tampa Club – Chef Joseph Vanbemmel

I don't know about you, but that sounds like an amazing time to me.  I hope to see you all out there.  Until then, keep checking back for other great things to do in Tampa Bay and cool Tampa Bay entertainment options.