Best Buy on 14th St in Bradenton, FL - Phone upgrade

Best Buy Store

4210 14th St W

Bradenton, FL 34205

Phone: 941-755-8969

After waiting almost 1 year after I was eligible to upgrade my phone, I finally had to give in.

My phone just did not make it anymore. But I will not go into detail about the phone or even about my service provider. Also I will not elaborate about the phone I actually bought today.

But I will give a short description about my shopping experience.

Before I do that I want to say that I worked for cell phone companies as a very successful sales agent and a leading customer service manager. In stores as well as in the field.

After hours of research I found the phone I wanted. Next I looked for the best deal and Best Buy by far had the best sale going on. So we took off down the street to 14th St. This Best Buy location is not only close to our house but it also is a place where I had good experiences in the past.

I knew exactly what I want and since it was an upgrade, I did not have any question in regards to the plan or service provider as well.

As always we were greeted at the door in a friendly matter and with a smile. Walked straight to the cell phone department. This is usually a very busy place. But today I got lucky and only 2 customers where ahead of me.

We found an associate and asked him if they have the phone in stock. He was very friendly and checked if they did. They had 2 phones available and one in the color I liked.

Next he brought me to the service station where I was introduced to a young man and told that he will finish the transaction.

This young man also had a big smile on his face and was very friendly. He asked me a couple questions about what I want to do and then went right to work.

While entering the information we had a nice conversation about phones, travelling and looked at a couple accessories. I felt very relaxed and felt that this associate  wanted  to help me and  had sufficient knowledge to do so.

All together it took only 5 minutes to get the entire deal done and we paid right at this service station.

After a friendly farewell we were on our way. I love it.

 

Upgrading my phone at Best Buy at 14th St. in Bradenton, FL was a breeze and actually enjoyable. The associate was friendly, knowledgeable and absolutely did not push anything on me. Very pleasant I must say. He could feel that I knew exactly what I wanted and did not make any attempt to change my mind. He appreciated that I was a very well informed customer and realized while talking to me, that I had extensive knowledge about the phones, the systems and so on. No doubt in my mind, that this young man would try to get you exactly what you need without trying to sell you what is good for the store.

So if you need to get a cell phone, sign up for service or do an upgrade. Best Buy at 14th St in Bradenton, FL is a good address to do so.

But I do have to mention, that I got lucky today. 2 years ago we were there for a different upgrade for family and it took about 1 hour. It was around Christmas and it was extremely busy. To me, it is worth the wait. Getting good and friendly service and feeling appreciated to me is big deal and for that I stand gladly in any line.

Find Best Buy store in Bradenton on this map

 

 

Octoberfest at the Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus in Holmes Beach , FL 2013

My first review of any restaurant in our area was about the Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus.
Wolfgang and Brigitte Jahn, the owners of this cozy place now started the Oktoberfest. Running through October.
I have tried many of the food items at their restaurant and found some favorites of mine. The menu they put together for this time certainly looks great as well and I will for sure try some of the food items and the beer.
Surely I will write an article about it. But for now I would like to share the menu and encourage you to stop by and give it a shot. Check out my review to find out when they are open and make sure to make reservations. You never know when it is all full.

Oktoberfest Menu for Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus in Holmes Beach , FL

My favorite beer is the original Oktoberfest beer from Hackerpschorr.
You for sure need to try the Bratwurst delight. One of my favorites and not only does it look good , but the bratwurst is authentic and made just right.

Let me know if you where there and what you thought about the food and the beer. After my next visit I will write again. Check out my first review to learn about the service and how I feel about the place.

Is it safe to sell and buy on Craigslist?

Over the past years of working on the Internet and successfully selling products, private and for business, I gained great experience on how to do it and where to do it.

There is plenty of sales channels you can put your private stuff on for sale or you can offer your services and products from your business.

One of the biggest ones without a doubt is Craigslist.

I sold many items on Craigslist and also offered services on this website. Not one single time was I disappointed or not successful doing it.

Here is what I really liked about Craigslist:

1. It is free!

If you want to sell or advertise you can do so without spending a dime. Paid services might be available, but you are not obligated to pick any of them. Even photos are for free.

2. It is huge!

Craigslist is available almost anywhere in the World. Although Craigslist encourages you to advertise, sell and buy local, you have the option to go global and buy and sell all over. I just recently was on vacation in WA state and sold items from there although I am from Florida. It was not a problem. Craigslist asks you to confirm postings with your email to make sure it is  you and not somebody using your data.

3. It is simple !

This website is super easy to use. Signing up takes a few minute and you are ready to go. Posting items is a breeze. Categories are easy to pick and they have a lot of options. Photos can be uploaded easily and the server speed is great.

4. It is safe

Despite the fact , that was incidents involving people buying and selling on Craigslist, it is pretty much up to you how safe you want it to be.

When I advertise I am very detailed but never give out personal information. When I post photos I make sure they show the item and nothing personal which could tell about me or my location.

I always chose the option of anonymous contact. Meaning, that people who are interested in what I have or offer can only contact me through a private Craigslist email.  That gives me an opportunity to decide if I want to answer the email or not. Follow your gut feeling.

5. It works

I sold all kinds of things on Craigslist. Offered services and successful found some extra work. Family members found garages for their car and even homes for rent or to buy.

How do you start using Craigslist?

Here is the best way to get started and learn how to work with Craigslist.

1. Read all info about the site and its regulations first. Make sure you understand what they allow, what they do not and what the rules are.

2. Sign up and get your own account.

3. Browse advertisements and learn what is out there and how it is written. You can follow ads for days or weeks just to see how they do and if they come back.

4. Find something in your house, make take a picture and posted. See how it goes. If you get any messages etc.

5. If you do get responses, read them carefully. There is lots of spam out there. If something does not sound right, it probably is not. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take your time and if necessary ready in forums to gather more info.

6. Make sure you always meet in public places. I usually meet at Best Buy , Groceries stores or whatever. This ensures more safety for you and the other party. Do not take unnecessary risks.

7. Take cash only. Especially in the beginning you do not want to take checks or Credit Cards. Over time you can work on implementing those features.

8. If advertising in the personal section , pay special attention. There is a ton of people out there who simply want your money. Read up in one of the forums to learn more about it. You will receive a ton of interesting emails  which tell you that you won millions of dollars, that you can make money fast and much more. Often you will receive links to click on which then lead to paysites. Just pay attention and work with common sense.

Craigslist can be a great place to sell and buy and to meet or connect with business people. All you need to do is follow some simple rules, trust your instincts, do nothing you would not do otherwise.

I certainly will continue to sell and buy through this website.

Questions or comments? Keep it clean and share your experiences.

Sharky's on the Pier in Venice , Florida - How nice is it? short visit review

Sharky’s on the Pier, 1600 Harbor Drive South, Venice, FL 34285

Pretty much every Saturday I am playing golf at Lake Venice Golf Club. Everytime I drive there I see on my right hand side the sign for Sharky’s on the Pier.

Last Saturday, August 31st that was, I decided to stop by. Check out at least the outside bar. I did not want food , as I had something to eat at the Lake Venice Golf Club ( I shall write about that in a yet different article).

I stopped on my way home and for the first time saw how big the parking lot actually is. It was super sunny and there were plenty of people out there.

All looked nice and in order driving in. Right of the parking lot you find 2 hostess stands. There you can sign in if you are there to eat and want to be seated. However, on that day I did not want either. So I said high and I got a very friendly hello back. Both girls were smiling.

Behind that was a little kiosk with things to buy. All kinds of stuff which I did not look any further at. So I waked towards the restaurant and liked it right away. If you want to get on the pier, you have to walk through it. Nicely done I must say.

It was very busy everywhere and since there was not a seat at the bar, I thought to check out the pier first. I walked up there and I loved it.

This is the view towards the South from just the beginning of the pier. It looked really nice.

View towards the restaurant from the pier. Nice view of Sharky’s on the Pier.

I enjoyed looking at the water, fish and the pelicans feeding.

After a few minutes I went back, looking forward to have a beer or two. Got lucky right away and on the round bar right at the entrance I found a spot. I went for a local brewery Oktoberfest beer.

The beer was cold, glas was full and the server was fast. Not that he was very friendly or smiling. But he took the order and I had it like half a minute later. The price was 5.00 $. I thought it was ok. When you think of the location and the name. It actually was fair. I had beers for 5 $ in bars which I thought they should charge 1 $.

However, I was sitting there enjoying the view and talking to my neighbor, a nice retiree from Florida.

 

 

 

View from the bar at Sharky’s on the Pier in Venice, Florida

I did not eat anything during this visit, so I will update this blog as soon as I will be there eating a snack or even a full dinner.

But for now , I have to say, that Sharky’s on the Pier in Venice is a nice place which is well worth a visit for a drink and a walk on the pier. There is plenty of wonderful beach to just lay in the sun or play with your kids. You can fish of the pier or just have a drink at the bar.

They are building a brand new building and expand the complex. One thing, if you think that this construction might bother you, you need to wait.

I know , that next Saturday I will be back there and enjoy the view and a cold beer.

There is also three videos which I made and put it on my youtube channel.  Just follow the link below.

Video with views from the pier to the beaches and restaurant.

Official Sharky’s website

 

 

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Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA - Second visit short review update

Himitsu Sushi and Teriyaki in Bothell, WA

You will find my first review about this Himitsu Teriyaki shop.
Just go through my blog and find the first entry.
In my first entry I explained how we found it, how it looks like and how we were greeted there.

I was so happy with this place, that I decided to bring my parents there to have lunch with us.
That is exactly what we did Thursday August 8th 2013. After a short round of golf we showed up at the Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki .

Again all look good from the outside. Clean and inviting. We were greeted by the same nice lady and I even introduced my mother to her, which made her even more smile.
We were assigned the same table as we had a few days ago.

This time I wanted to try something else for lunch and decided to go with the chicken and beef combo. So did Christiane.My parents ordered the chicken Teriyaki. We ordered the Egg Rolls as appetizer again.
Also we went with the same drinks.

It only took a few minutes to get the appetizer and the Egg Rolls were as good as the first time. Hot, fresh and tasty.

Shortly after we got the Terriyaki.

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA Chicken and Beef Teriyaki Combo

It looked great yet again and the taste was as good or better then a few days before this day.
My parents were surprised by the size of the platter and what was on it. We ate for a while and we could finish it, but my parents had to take a box to take some leftover home.

After paying I explained the lady that I am in Florida and hope to see her next time. Thanked her for the great experience and she thanked me for coming in.

Outside we all agreed, that it was a great lunch with great food and that we would come back again if we are here and in the area.

I am excited to report , that I visited this place 2 times and both times the quality and service were excellent. Which confirms what I wrote in my first more comprehensive review.

The Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA is one of the best Teriyaki places I have been to in many years and I hope I can come back when I am in the area again. If you have the chance, stop by and if you try something new or Sushi, please. comment or let us know.

You will find the menu we saw in the review from earlier.
Thank you very much for stopping by.

Alaska Airlines First Class Flight Experience - Flight from Seattle to San Diego and San Diego to Orlando on August 12th 2013

This flight was from Seattle, WA with stop in San Diego, CA to Orlando, FL. Some might wonder why I did not write about the flight to WA yet, but I simply did not get to it and will deliver it at a later point.

This was the first time I was on Alaska Airlines and the main reason we were on this flight was that we got lucky and got some miles from family to use for a First Class ticket to visit them in WA. Not that we do not pay for 1st class tickets, but when you fly with a new airline , it is nice to find out first if it is worth it.

This flight started on August 12th in Seattle. Our take off time was scheduled at 5 55 pm. We booked it for two reasons like that. 1. because of the miles and 2. so we have the entire day to get things ready and spend time with family.

Arriving at the airport in Seattle you will find Alaska Airlines right at the beginning of the Terminal. It was not busy , so we unloaded fast and we were off to the check in. Having first class is always a pleasure, because there is short or no lines and the process seems to be more friendly. We did not have to wait more than 1 minute and got called to the counter. The young girl was very friendly, took our ID’s and got the check in down within in 2 minutes including all my golf luggage. One suitcase had 1.5 lbs more than it should have had, but there was no question or comment.

The check in area of Alaska Airlines is very nice. All reorganized with plenty of kiosks for fast check in and a great set up of the counters to make it easier for all travellers.

So from arriving to getting done with check in , we only spend 5 minutes or so. Girl was friendly and helpful. A good start.

Next we browsed through the security in a flash. Seattle offers a premier line for First Class Passengers and others. The line was like 5 people or so. Took us maybe 5 minute to get that done. After both those experiences, my mood was great.

We had something to eat, but that will be part of the Airport review which you can find soon here online. Alaska Airlines seems to use the N Terminal in Seattle, which is easy to reach with the train.

Getting on the plane was yet another easy thing to do. The First Class lane was opened right after children and people with disability and because there is only 16 passengers flying in first class, it takes a couple minutes to get in and settled.

The seats in Alaska Airlines First Class are old leather seats. Not sure what year, but they are older. Nothing too fancy and no foot rest. But the size is good and foot room is good as well. On this flight we had 1C and 1A. Which we usually do not get because of the wall in front of you , which can take space away when stretching. This time I did not think it was a problem at all.

While the other guests were boarding we were offered some water. I was thankful for that, but a little disappointed, because usually I get a glass of champagne or whatever drink I want and would have preferred that over the water or taken it with the water. It was not a big deal. Boarding was fast and we were on our way on time.

After we reached our travel height, we were greeted by Joseph, who was the steward taking care of us 16. He was very nice and smiling all the way with eye contact.

First we were offered a drink. I was going for a Bloody Mary. This is a drink I love to have when starting any flight. It is , if you will , a tradition for me to have that. It took not very long and I had it sitting right on my table. Drinks were served in nice glasses.It tasted great. We have to consider that they do not have a full bar. For that , it was a good drink.

Christiane had some Cabernet. They offer different wines on every flight and mostly regional. I think it was called Red Blend and it was a good wine. I actually ordered one myself when Joseph came along again.

As it was a short flight to San Diego, CA, we did not get the entertainment console. I was ok with that. Next Joseph came out with a snack. Grilled chicken with side salad. Now that was a great tasting snack I must say. The chicken was perfect and with a very tasty orange sauce. Salad looked fresh. A nicely decorated plate. While eating my wine was refilled without asking and anything laying around was taken immediately.

I had a couple more drinks, trying to get in sleeping mode for the long flight. We arrived in time and leaving the airplane was yet another breeze. While leaving I said thank you to Joseph and the other stewardess and found out, that we will have the same staff on the long flight to Orlando, FL. That was great news, because they simply did a great job and were very friendly.

San Diego Airport is not my favorite, but again, this will be a different article.

Our delay was 2 hours which we used to have a snack and a beer. We were scheduled to leave at 10 20 pm.  Boarding  started on time  and nothing but good to report. Alaska Airlines staff members were friendly, organized and with the First Class lane being clearly marked, entering was easy and fast. We got seats 1C and 1A again. There was plenty of storage for our carry on. Had our own compartment to be exact. All 16 seats were occupied yet again.

Same procedure while boarding. We were offered water and the staff helped all people to move fast and made the boarding process a very pleasant  experience without any incidents. Again we boarded on time and were on our way.

The seats on the Alaskan Airlines flight from San Diego, CA to Orlando, FL were almost identical to the other. Those seats had better head rests though. You could adjust them and that felt very comfortable. Other than that, they were the same old leather seats without footrest , but with plenty of room and space to put glasses etc. No power outlet to charge equipment again though. Before we started there was a very young child screaming for a while and one female first class passenger was not too happy and mentioned that to the staff. But the staff did not even get into any discussions and handled the situation perfect. The young child was quiet for the rest of the flight and so the lady had no reason to say something again. Personally I like when children are around on flights and because I travelled starting very young, I know that at times it was a little difficult because of my ears and my impatience as a child.

Joseph started us out with a drink as he did before and his Bloody Mary’s were consistently good. We also ordered the same wine again, trying to stay with what we liked.

Christiane decided to sleep through the long flight ( if you consider 4 ½ hours long). I wanted to watch a movie and have the snack again. About 20 minutes into the flight we got our entertainment console including free headphones, which you can keep.

Although the console is not huge, you can comfortably watch movies and play games. I watched a good movie and was pleased with the quality. If you do that, set the item on the table and you can see well. The head phones are not the top of the line, so do not expect the highest quality, but they do work fine.

I agreed to try the snack and we got a nice hot sandwich with ham and cheese and some more salad, which again was fresh. Tasted all very good. Had one more glass of wine , but then called it a day with drinking. I just had to wave my hand and Joseph took away all  glasses. I am sure if I would have had my empty glass standing there, he would have kept filling it up with the good stuff. I had to drive the next morning, so I did not want overdue it.

I slept about 2 hours and slept well. Christiane was not satisfied with her sleep and not happy that there were no blankets and pillows offered in first class. Not sure if Alaska ever did it. I guess we were used to it from some other airlines here and abroad.

Again we landed on time. For the first time in many years I departed the plane with a handshake and some compliments to Joseph and his staff members.

Getting of the plane and to the bag claim was super fast and our bags were out and ready within 20 minutes or shorter. All bags were there and in great shape.

Alaska Airlines 1st Class Summary

I am not sure what the price for a flight like this is. To me, in this case it would depend on the price. I liked the service very much. Everybody was friendly and you could feel that they wanted to make it a good experience for you. The drinks and the food were both very good and plenty. Alaska Airlines seems to have older planes. The first class seats are off good size, but old, no footrest, no outlet to charge.

Entertainment solution with the console is a good idea and I found it sufficient and easy to use.

Check in and boarding was fast and easy and a friendly experience as well.

I would flight Alaska Airlines 1st class again if the price is reasonable or if I have miles to use again. However, I will first check others before booking.

The biggest thing I did not like was that you do not have access to the Alaska Airlines 1st class lounge. I think it is not acceptable, that after paying 2ooo $ for a flight I have to pay 45 $ to enter the lounge. We had a not so good experience on the flight to Seattle, WA and did not even attempt it on the way back. I will write about it.

Alaska Airlines was a good experience with room for improvement. What was your experience?

Himitsu Sushi and Teriyaki in Bothell, Washington - One of the best Teriyaki places in Bothell and area that I know

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA

Living in Florida is the best thing we managed to make happen in years. The sun, the lifestyle, the golf and much more. But there is one thing which I am truly missing. Good Teriyaki places where you can get a quick chicken Teriyaki or something similar for a decent price.

Lucky for me we planned a  2 week vacation in Washington State, where I was living for 15 years. A state, where it seems, there is a Teriyaki shop on every corner. You can see them everywhere. All shapes and sizes with all kinds of offers.
Back then I used to go and have lunch and sometimes even dinner. The specials were as low as 3.99 $ for the lunch special. I am fully aware of those days being gone.
One of my goals being in Washington State was to eat Teriyaki at least 3 times. I will report about the first time in a different short review. In this little article I want to report about a place which in my mind is the best Teriyaki Place I have visited in years and the best I know in Bothell, WA.

Himitsu Sushi and Teriyaki.

 

We were looking for a Teriyaki place for an early dinner (4 pm). While driving towards Bothell, Christiane saw a sign and said I should pull in here.  The restaurant is located at the end corner of a small strip mall  with easy access from the main road or from the cross road . Driving up to the place It already looked pretty new from the outside, inviting and clean.   

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA  entrance and parking

 As we entered the restaurant we immediately were greeted with a smile by a lady who made as feel very welcome and directed us to a table, asking if that table would be OK for us.  

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA entrance with some of the menu photos

The inside was furnished with modern tables and chairs but with a Japanese feel to it. They had white paper lights with Japanese decor above every table. On one side they  displayed their sushi menus on the wall including great photos of every platter and on the other wall there was pictures of all kinds of other menu items. On every table there was a little tray with soy sauce, Teriaki sauce, salt, pepper, hot sauce. Everything looked very clean, organized and inviting. 

I also liked the Sushi bar. Although I did not have any Sushi, I took a good look at the bar. Fresh fish was clearly visible. All in nice big pieces and clearly not frozen fish. Everything was clean and organized. 

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki Bothell, WA Sushi Bar on right and Cash register, kitchen in back

First the lady came and asked what we would like to drink. We both ordered Pepsi Light and then took a good look at the menu. I liked the menu as it was easy to ready and not overloaded. When she came back with two large bottles of Pepsi we were asked if we were ready to order.

On that day we decided to try the Gyoza appetizer, the Egg roll appetizer and 2 Chicken Teriyaki. When I placed the order we were told that there is a combo available which would  be a better price. But I told her that I would like to have more chicken. With a smile she agreed and took the order.

The food was served after about 8 minutes. First we were served the Gyoza and the Egg rolls. ( I do not have a photo of the Gyoza but of the Egg Rolls).

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA Egg rolls

Both looked delicious and that is also the correct word for the taste of both items. They were hot, not fatty and came with the right sauce. About 3 minutes into the appetizer the chicken Teriyaki was served. It came with a big salad and two balls white rice. The food was presented on a square plate. With the salad being on the left, chicken bottom middle to right and the two rice balls above chicken. It looked great. 

Himitsu Sushi & Teriyaki in Bothell, WA Chicken Teriyaki Meal

Everything was fresh, hot and tasted absolutely fabulous. The salad had a fresh light dressing. It tasted a little like yogurt. The chicken was grilled but still juicy and had a perfect amount of Teriyaki sauce on it.  The rice tasted great as well. It was not to dry and not to sticky.

We ate everything. The plates were completely empty.

The prices were great . The chicken Teriyaki was $6.50, 2 large Egg rolls were 3.25 $ and the Gyoza was 2.50 $ ( 5 pieces with pork and vegetables).

They provided exceptional customer service. When we ordered the appetizers Gyoza and Egg Rolls and chicken Teriyaki the waitress pointed out that we could save by ordering the chicken Teriyaki combo witch includes Gyoza and Egg Rolls as well. Throughout the meal they checked that we always had what we needed and made sure that everything was okay. Every time they spoke to us they had a smile on their face.

Overall , Himitsu Sushi and Teriyaki in Bothell, WA is a great place to go and enjoy a good authentic Teriyaki meal in a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

We will go there again and recommend it to everyone. Below you find the photos of the menu which we had available. Check it out.

 

 

As always we will write updates or comments when we go there again. So keep checking back.