Issue #528: Freeze Warning Before NYE | Hot New Restaurants for 2025 | Brie Trick Steals the Party | Bucs Face Season Finale Drama

12/30/2025

Author

Ted Grellner
30 Dec

Keep your finger on the Pulse!

GOOD MORNING

I think I was hungry when I picked articles for this issue!

Dr Ted
USAF Retired

 
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In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

Our Event Calendar 

Please post events of interest to our NT|WC Live Events Calendar; its easy to do.

— Tampa Bay’s Coldest Weather of the Season to Arrive Just Before New Year’s Eve

Food

— Tampa’s 2025 Dining Debuts You Need to Try

— Brûlée the Brie: Your New Favorite Party Trick

Sports

— One Last Shot: Bucs Need Win, Help to Take NFC South

Our NT|WC Live Events Calendar:


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Tampa Bay’s Coldest Weather of the Season to Arrive Just Before New Year’s Eve

A blast of Arctic air is sweeping into Florida this week, bringing Tampa Bay’s coldest temperatures of the season just in time for New Year’s Eve.

Wednesday morning is expected to be the chilliest, with wind chills dipping into the mid-30s across much of the region. Inland areas, like Lakeland, could feel like the upper 20s, while Tampa is forecast to hit 39°F, and St. Petersburg around 45°F.

A Freeze Watch will be in effect from late Tuesday into Wednesday for Hernando County and northward.

Highs on Tuesday will only reach the low 60s, and New Year’s Eve night will remain brisk, with temps in the upper 40s to low 50s by midnight.

By Thursday, conditions will ease, with weekend highs rebounding into the 70s.

Meteorologists caution that hypothermia is a risk, urging outdoor-goers to dress in layers.

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Tampa’s 2025 Dining Debuts You Need to Try

Tampa’s culinary scene sizzled in 2025, with exciting new restaurants opening across the city. Here's a curated list of local favorites from the year.

Bar Terroir brought elevated French cuisine with coastal flair to Henderson Blvd, while Giancarlo’s Café & Spirits impressed North Hyde Park with inventive diner fare.

H&H Bagels made a strong entry from NYC, and Jay Luigi in SoHo delivered three styles of pizza with a standout bar program.

In South Tampa, Kubana Kafe paired Cuban charm with rich coffee and sandwiches, and Mad Dogs & Englishmen reemerged as an upscale British pub in a bold new space.

Other highlights: Maxi Empanadas (fresh, gluten-free empanadas), Nori Nori (hand rolls in Seminole Heights), Ocean Ink Raw Bar (Charleston-style seafood in Ybor), and Piccolo Buco (Rome-style pizza on Dale Mabry).

The Greene Turtle rounded out the list as a lively new sports bar destination.

Read More: thatsotampa.com — (for those willing to wander down to S. Tampa)

Brûlée the Brie: Your New Favorite Party Trick

This Honey Brûlée Brie is a three-ingredient showstopper that’s rich, gooey, and crowd-pleasing. With just 15 minutes of prep and cook time, it’s perfect for last-minute entertaining.

Start with a wheel of triple cream brie, cut the top rind, and press it into turbinado sugar over a layer of honey. Bake briefly, then caramelize the top with a broiler or handheld torch for a crisp brûlée crust.

Let it cool, and serve warm with crostini, crackers, crudité, or fruit. For variety, you can swap honey with agave or maple syrup.

Pro tip: Let brie sit at room temperature before baking for an even melt, and keep an eye on the caramelization—it can burn fast!

The result? Restaurant-worthy flavor that feels gourmet but costs under $15.

Read More: spoonforkbacon.com — see article for recipe and pics

One Last Shot: Bucs Need Win, Help to Take
NFC South

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are somehow still alive in the NFC South title race, despite dropping eight of their last ten games, including Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Dolphins.

Coach Todd Bowles admitted the team is “shooting ourselves in the foot,” while veterans like Mike Evans and Lavonte David called out a lack of urgency.

To win the division, Tampa Bay (7-9) must beat Carolina and hope Atlanta loses to either the Rams or Saints.

Despite a strong 6-2 start, the Bucs have unraveled, plagued by turnovers, defensive lapses, and special teams errors. They’re 0-8 when QB Baker Mayfield throws a pick, including two against Miami.

WR Chris Godwin Jr. was a bright spot with 108 yards and a TD.

With one game left, Bowles said bluntly: “If we play like this, we’re going nowhere.”

30+ Free Holiday Events in Tampa Bay for a Festive Date

Source: tampabaydatenightguide.com

Things to do Around Tampa Bay this weekend
11/ - 11/
Source: wtsp.com


Things to do Around Pasco
11/ - 11/
Source: suncoastnews.com

Things to do Around
Tampa & WC:
1/1 - 1/7
Source: tampabeacon.com

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