Living in Tampa Bay. Loving it!

I know this blog is supposed to be about fun and unique things to see and do in the Tampa Bay Area, but it's also about giving you a resident's view of living in Tampa Bay. One of the hardest things as a new resident living in Tampa Bay is knowing who to call when you need service. I went through it myself this past year as a new Tampa Bay resident, and the following is what I have learned through trial and error:

Nicole's recommendations for service providers (and why):

PEDIATRICIAN: Pediatric Health Care Alliance (Offices in both Lutz, FL and Wesley Chapel, FL)

This one was particularly hard. I searched the web many times, but found little in the way of recommendations for pediatricians, so we went with one nearby. We were very disappointed with our first choice, so we went on the hunt again. Our new Pediatric Group is Pediatric Health Care Alliance, and we are extremely happy. Why I Like This Group: The Doctor sat down a talked with us at great length, answered all our questions thoroughly, brought up things we should be thinking about with regards to our daughter at this age, and even showed concern for our relationship and how we were handling having another little person in our marriage. Then before she did the exam on our daughter, she did an exam on her teddy bear so she would know exactly what would happen. 

DOCTOR OF INTERNAL MEDICINE: Stephanie Talton-Willamson (Her new office is located in the Cypress Glenn Professional Park on the North side of S.R. 56 just East of I-75 in Wesley Chapel, FL)

Both my husband and I go to Dr. Talton-Williamson. Why I Like Her: She is comfortable with and willing to sit down with you and take all the time you need to talk about whatever is important to you. She will go over your options (pros/cons) thoroughly and in a way that is easy to understand, and she is sensitive to what solution is best, easiest and most comfortable for you personally. Con: Because of this easy "bedside" manner, we tend to spend a lot of time waiting on her. However, we feel that the attention we receive from her is more than worth the wait.

AUTO REPAIR: Auto Pro (South side of Fowler Avenue across from University Mall in Tampa, FL)

We have two older cars (one is 9 years, the other 14 years). We like not having car payments, so we do what we have to to keep these cars running. We found this service shop through AAA; they are a "Show Your Card and Save" location. To date, one car needed a new battery and the other an engine replacement. Why I Like Them: The guys at Auto Pro are easy, tell-it-like-it-is older gentlement who aren't going to gouge you or try to sell you additional services you don't need. They will give you the straight talk on what needs to be done to keep your car running, and they'll work to get you the best repair job at the best price. Their service is top-notch, their manner is easy-going, they keep you updated throughout the process, and they go above and beyond to make sure you're a happy customer. When our engine was being replaced, they got a new product in that defogs headlamps and needed a car to try it out on; so in addition to the engine, we got our headlights defogged at no charge. The car runs beautifully. They check up on their work (free of charge) just to make sure everything is as it should be. When we brought the car in for it's first re-check of the engine, they said they would work accommodate us at whatever time worked best for us; we were in and out in 20 minutes. Our next (and final) re-check of the engine comes with a free oil change when it's time for an oil change. Needless to say, these are the guys we're going to count on to keep our cars running from now on.

VETERINARIAN: Quail Hollow Animal Hospital (North side of S.R. 54 just east of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, FL)

Being located on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, Quail Hollow can be fustrating to get to, but worth it. (S.R. 54 east of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. is NEVER not busy with a steady stream of cars.) The office staff is friendly and helpful. The office is neat and tidy, and there is even a child-sized table/chairs with books to keep kids busy. Why I Like This Group: The vets are very easy to talk to, and they will take all the time you need to go over your pets condition and options for care. Before they do anything, they bring in a detailed list of all the proceedures and what each one costs, so you aren't surprised by how much your visit costs when you get to check-out. Not that it's not expensive. But you get to deal with the shock in the privacy of an exam room, and hopefully you are able to come to terms with the cost by the time you have to go out and pay. This group is also okay with patients buying their medications through 1 (800) Pet-meds. Just submit your order online and give them the name/phone of the vet; they are happy to confirm your prescription when contacted by 1 (800) Pet-meds. And by buying our medications this way, we are able to get a 90-day supply (incl. shipping) for what we were paying for a 30-day supply from the vet.

Air Conditioning Maintenance/Repair: Iearna

When we bought our home, the previous owners had an air conditioner maintenance contract that was transferrable to us, so that's who we were using. There were two scheduled maintenance checks left on the contract. Both times the technicians tried to push us into high-priced services we didn't need. The second time, they told us we were down 3 lbs. of freon; they would replace the freon for around $240. What was surprising was that they didn't try to sell us on finding the leak, which could have been incredibly expensive. When we declined the freon, they warned us not to use the air conditioner until we get freon in it. So we spent a few weeks without air trying to decide how to choose another air conditioning company. We finally settled on Iearna because they offered a new customer special of $29.99 for a complete check of the unit and up to 2 lbs. of freon. Although we had been warned about using air conditioner companies that offer such low deals, when we checked the Better Business Bureau, they had a very good rating; we figured it was worth a second opinion. When the Iearna technician came, he asked if we had been having any problems with the unit. We decided not to tell him about the other company or the 3 missing lbs. of freon to get an untainted second opinion, so we told him that we didn't know if anything was wrong. We're new owners and we wanted the unit checked out before we used it, we said. As it turns out, the unit is in excellent condition (the freon pressure what right on) although it was drawing a bit more energy that it needed to; we had a booster put on to reduce the energy draw to within specs for our unit, reducing our electric bill and prolonging the life of the unit. Since then, we have noticed that the unit kicks on much less frequently, and our electric bill is very reasonable considering that the air is on 24/7 now. What I Like About This Company: Many things! First of all, the technician didn't try to sell us on pricey services. In fact, he gave us a tip on a quick fix we could do outselves to save ourselves a service call down the line. Second, the technician was very open to showing us where to find the specs for our unit (printed inside the unit cover), and then to show us his equipment so we could read for ourselves what the unit was coming in at. Con: The technician was very late; over an hour past the window, which was very frustrating. However, given the service we received, we are willing to overlook this.

Blog penned by: Nicole Doyle

A.J.'s Assistant, Meet me at http://www.ajsellstampa.com/MeetMyAssistant

My daughter is enjoying a ride on the round-a-bout. In the background you can see the swings, and the fence enclosure with the blue canopies in the far back is the spash park.

Located around a large lake, Zephyr Park in downtown Zephyrhills, offers something for all ages. There's a variety of play equipment including a play gym (with slides and short rock climbing wall), round-about, swings, etc.; a swinging bench (great for watching the birds on the lake, people watching, or catching a sunset); a paved path around the lake (good for walking, biking, skateboarding and more); two covered picnic areas with several picnic tables; a raquetball court; tennis courts; and a fun splash park. Entry to the park is entirely FREE, including the splash park.

PROS

• The park is full of big oak trees covered with spanish moss, so there is a lot of shade from the sun. Much of the equipment, as well as the raquetball court, is protected from direct sun. The spash park is in full sun, but the benches are under canopies.
  
• There is one very large and very old oak in the middle of the play equipment that is great for climbing.
  
• The baby swings and big swings are in separate areas. As a mother, this is very nice. I'm sure for big kids or adults wanting to swing, this is very nice, too.

CONS

• My daughter particularly likes the round-about, but there is rarely a time that this piece of equipment is not loaded with much bigger kids and therefore not safe for her to be on. She did have a rare opportunity to ride it today, though (see picture above). If you're a big kid, though, this could be a plus.
  
• Being such a shady park, there is a lot more dirt than grass, and it's full of fire ants. Although ants are commonplace here in Florida, I do find that I have more difficulty avoiding fire ant bites at this park than I do at others around town. If you're allergic to ant bites, you will want to be extra vigilant here. And if you have little ones, make sure they don't roll around in the dirt or go running off without you.

If You Go:
The park is located directly off S.R. 54 in Zephyrhills. As you head East, it is on your right just before you enter downtown Zephyrhills. There are a number of ice cream shops nearby, too, including Mike's Ice Cream and Twisty Treat right on 54 as you near Zephyrills from Wesley Chapel.

TIPS

• Make sure kids have rubber shoes on in the splash park area! I've seen a lot of kids slip and fall, including my own.
• Being situated around a big lake, you do need to be aware there could be alligators. That's just a fact of life here in Florida.

Blog penned by: Nicole Doyle

A.J.'s Assistant, Meet me at http://www.ajsellstampa.com/MeetMyAssistant

Welcome to Mr. Dunderbak's Biergarten and Marketplace -- an authentic German Biergarten in Tampa!

As they say on their website (http://dunderbaks.com/): "We are a European Biergarden with a unique German inspired menu. Not a club scene, not a trendy bar, but a place for family and friends to get together, chat and have some quality time together." After 10 p.m. the place is for over 21 only, but the rest of the time it's a great family restaurant and market.

We used to go to Dunderbak's for lunch when they were a tiny, shotgun restaurant shoe-horned between clothing stores in University Mall by USF since 1974. They were located near the children's play area, so we used to go over with the kids to grab lunch.

This Spring, Mr. Dunderbak's moved to a bigger location in New Tampa. They proudly offer more than 50 beers on draft and hundreds of bottle beers. According to many locals, this is "the best beer stop in Tampa," although we went for the great German sausages and kraut.

When Dunderbak's was in the mall, it was a cramped but cozy little pub with the bar running the length of the space, front to back. On the left side in front were a couple tables and a small store where you can buy authentic German groceries; the restaurant was on the left side in the back. The prices were reasonable (we would get sausages and kraut for about $5). The staff were casual and unpretention, although a little more attention would have been appreciated. The comfortable neighborhood pub atmosphere, though, is what makes Dunderbak's a great place to spend some time with family and friends.

I have yet to go since it moved to Oak Ramble Shopping Center (14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) in New Tampa, but when I do, I'll update this post. In the meantime, feel free to add your own comments on the new Dunderbak's location!

If You Go:

At Mr. Dunderbak's, they are serious about beer. If you are too, check out their website, where you can find brew kits and beer recipes: http://dunderbaks.com/. Dunderbak's closes at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month to host the Tampa Bay Beers Homebrew Club Meeting, and they don't open until 4 p.m. Mondays. FYI -- there are no reservations due to the high demand for tables; first come, first served!

Blog penned by: Nicole Doyle

A.J.'s Assistant, Meet me at http://www.ajsellstampa.com/MeetMyAssistant

Most of you are probably aware of the Anheuser-Busch tasting room in Busch Gardens Tampa. What you might not know, however, is that there is another brewery with a tasting room in Tampa: Yuengling Brewery Company.

The Yuengling Brewery is located at 11111 North 30th Street, just a little north of Busch Gardens. Yuengling purchased the former Stroh's Brewery in 1999. You can take a tour of the brewery at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tour guests walk through the brewing and bottling facility, and taste the fine beers in the hospitality tasting room. Tours are free to groups of fewer than 20 people.

A Little History

Founded in 1829, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. of Pottsville, PA, is recognized as "America's Oldest Brewery."

Originally named the Eagle Brewery, founder David G. Yuengling changed the name of the brewery when his son, Frederick, joined as a partner in 1873.  The brewery has been continuously owned and operated by the Yuengling family for 5 generations. Richard Yuengling, Jr. (great, great grandson of the founder) is the current owner and president.

In 1999, Yuengling purchased the former Stroh's brewery in Tampa, FL, to begin expanding in the Southeast and is now the sixth largest brewer in the United States. The Yuengling brewery in Pottsville was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Pennsylvania State Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Want to Go?

Tour the Brewery: http://www.squidoo.com/yuengling#module1808995

Blog penned by: Nicole Doyle

A.J.'s Assistant, Meet me at http://www.ajsellstampa.com/MeetMyAssistant