The Insurance Doctor

Category: activities

  • 8 Holiday Road Travel Tips

    8 Holiday Road Travel Tips

    This weekend will have millions of Americans on the road most of them to see relatives to celebrate the upcoming holidays.  Traffic and unprepared parents can put a damper on the family trip.  Enjoy these tips to smoothen your ride!

    1. Check traffic in advance: We prefer Waze or Google Maps to check for accidents and weather delays
    2. Gas up in advance: Running out of gas can suck the fun out of any trip. We like gasbuddy.com to find cheap gas in foreign cities and towns.
      insurance, New York, financial services
    3. Put presents in black garbage bags: This prevents gifts from “accidentally getting opened” when in the back seat with curious kids, lol.
    4. Stock up: Stock up on snacks (preferably healthy) fluids and coffee for your upcoming mission!
    5. Check tire pressure: Low pressure leads to blowouts, uneven tire wear and worse gas mileage.
    6. Create a “Road Trip Kit”: Surprise the kids with activities, crayons, books and or movies to help the time go by more fun and faster.
    7. Pack wipes: You never know what can happen when with the family on the road.
    8. Brings snacks for pets: Remember to not give pets a full meal within 1 hour before leaving as they are more prone to car sickness.

    Enjoy folks and wishing you the happiest of holidays!

  • 5 Top Slices & Best White Pie in NYC

    Pizza is a passion of mine!  After six months, a few extra pounds and visiting 50+ places the results are in.

    1. Di Fara: Located in Midwood Brooklyn, this place is 2nd to none! All slices and pies are made by 90+ yo Dominick Demarco.  Flavors explode in your mouth.  Waits are painful but worth
      Dom De Marco, pizza maker and owner of Di Fara Pizza
      Dom De Marco, pizza maker and owner of Di Fara Pizza

      it.  You have to go at least once.  Cash only.

    2. Lucali: Located in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn, this converted candy store serves only mouth watering pizza and the best calzones I’ve ever had to boot! Cash only.
    3. Nicks: Located in Forest Hills Queens, Nicks has the feel of a 50’s diner. Pies only, they come out perfect every time and Nick’s has the best sausage topping ever! Cash only.
    4. Roberta’s: Hipster-chic Bushwick Brooklyn location, this place serves wood-fired pizza and has a great vibe. With a live Deejay and Christmas lights this place is a must visit.  Cool seating also available in their garden where vegetables are grown.
    5. New Park: In Howard Beach Queens, this no-frills spot has been serving amazing slices for over 70 years. I prefer to order their slices and pies well done.

    Best White Pizza?  Lombardi’s hands down!  The first pizza place in the USA, Lombardi’s has been cranking out pies since 1905.  This Nolita (north of little Italy) landmark restaurant uses a coal-fired oven and is cash only.

    I’m open to feedback, enjoy!

  • 5 Reasons to Visit Capri

    Still Italy’s most glamorous seaside getaway, this whale shaped island has an epic beauty!  Made famous as a vacation hideaway of Roman Emperors Augustus and Tiberius, these days Capri is a touristy island well worth visiting at least for a day trip at a minimum. I suggest going in September, October, May or June.

    1. insurance, new york, financial planningThe Blue Grotto: Capri was discovered in 1826. Some folks dismiss the grotto as an overrated touristy sight however it’s beautiful blue sunlight reflecting through the water is an impressive sight.
    2. Capri Town: Most boats and ferries will take you to the Marina Grande which is basically the port of Capri. A funicular (chair lift) is a fun short ride that takes you up 500 feet to the town of Capri where you can easily spend a full day there before venturing to other parts of the 4 mile by 2 mile “island of dreams’.
    3. High-end shopping options: For those addicted to shoes, handbags and/or men’s fashion, this place will be heaven for you!  Prices are steep however so be prepared.
    4. Hiking: Surprisingly there are a few amazing panoramic hikes available on this small island.  Emperor Tiberius’s now-ruined Villa Jovis is a very scenic 1-hour hike from Capri Town.
    5. AnaCapri: Buses go regularly from Capri Town to AnaCapri.  From AnaCapri, ride the chair lift to the 1900 foot summit of Monte Solaro for a commanding view of the Bay of Naples and a pleasant downhill hike through lush vegetation and ever-changing views.

     

  • 6 Reasons to Visit Kansas City

    If you do the proper research you will find Kansas City to be a fun, underrated and interesting place to visit.  We just returned from a 4 day long weekend and suggest the following;

    1. KC Barbecue: KC BBQ is the real deal!  My suggestions are Joe’s, the most famous place as well as Arthur Bryant’s and Gates BBQ.  You won’t be disappointed.

    Kansas City Country Club District
    Kansas City Country Club District

    2. Arrowhead and Kaufman stadiums: Arrowhead has cracked my top 10.  Unique structural design and shape as well as round reply screens set it apart from other stadiums.  We were told that the engineering firm that did Arrowhead was used for several other stadiums.

    3. Negro Baseball league Museum: This place was awesome!  There’s a mini movie theatre, cool exhibits, great history and a small field with bronze statues.  They let you run the bases as well. It’s a must.  The museum is directly across from the Jazz museum and you can see both for $15, tremendous value.

    4. Power and Light district: Cool downtown area on the Missouri border with tons of bars and restaurants as well as better than expected nightlife.  Open until 3am.

    5. Country club district area: Very interesting and high end shopping.  We were there for their 85th annual art festival.  Closed off streets with blocks of booths and progressive art.  Locals call it the “million dollar walk”.

    6. The people:  These are some of the friendliest people we have encountered in the USA.  Easy to talk to and they will welcome you with open arms, even Jet fans, lol.

  • 10 Interesting Facts about the U.S. Tennis Open

    I have attended every U.S. Tennis Open since the early 80’s when my brother and I both were ball boys.  The 2 week tournament has gone through a lot of changes over the years.US Open New York 2016

    1. Arthur Ashe won the first US Open as an amateur and the main stadium at the Billie Jean King USTA Tennis center is named after him.  Virginia Wade won the women’s title.

    2. Men and women receive an equal amount of prize money, a tradition started in 1973.  This designated tennis as the first sport to award equal prize money to men and women.

    3. The total payout for this year’s tournament is up 10% to $46.3 million.  First place pays $3.5 million.  A first round singles loss pays $43,000.  The $46.3 million is the highest payout of any tennis tournament.

    4. In 1975 the US Open became the first grand slam tourney to have night games.

    5. Since 1978 matches have been played on a hard-court surface covered with Deco turf II.

    6. In the other grand slam tournaments (Wimbledon, the Australian and French Open’s) there’s no tiebreakers.  They just keep playing until one player wins by 2 games.

    7. Venus and Serena Williams became the first sisters to meet in a grand slam final at the US Open in 2001.

    8. Arthur Ashe stadium is the largest “tennis specific” stadium in the world.  It seats 23,771 people.

    9. The new roof at this year’s open is made up of two 1 million pound plates that were installed at a cost of $100 million.  It takes 5.5 minutes to close.

    10. The trophy is designed by Tiffany & Co

  • 4 Fun March Madness 2016 Questions

    A lot of people are predicting that this will be the most insane NCAA Tourney in a long time because, well, it’s coming immediately following one of the most insane regular seasons the sport has ever seen.

    1. Increased madness? In 2015-16, teams ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25 were beaten a grand total of 74 times, the highest total in the history of the poll. Top five teams suffered a total of 37 losses, 21 of which came at the hands of unranked teams. No. 1 teams weren’t immune to the madness, either, as five of them fell before the season hit February, something that had not taken place since 1949.m-madness-b-ball
    2. Stephen F. Austin?: While the world continues to focus its mid-major attention on Gonzaga and Wichita State, Stephen F. Austin just continues to whoop on any fool who dares to stand in its way. The Lumberjacks were the only team in college basketball to go 18-0 in conference play this season and will carry the nation’s longest winning streak (20) into the NCAA Tournament.
    3. When Will #1 seeds lose? Since the NCAA tournament was expanded to 64 teams the #1 seeds ate 124-0. #2 seeds during that same 31 year period are 117-7.  The last 2 times it happened was in 2012 when my Lehigh Mountain Hawks, led by C.J. McCollum beat Duke 75-70 and in 2013 Georgetown fell to FGCU aka Florida Gulf Coast U.
    4. Who are the lowest seeds to ever make the final 4? The lowest seed to ever make the final four is #11 and it happened 3 times. LSU did it first in 1986 followed by George Mason in 2006 and VCU did it back in 2011.

    The first week of the NCAA tournament has been known to have the highest work absentee rate as well as the lowest production rate of any non-holiday week of the year! 

  • Top 5 Places to Visit in the World

    Lonely planet just published their top 25 places to visit in the world. The USA has #21 Yosemite national park and #6 the Grand Canyon. It’s exciting this January to have seen #1 the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. Most interesting place I’ve ever seen. Review this list, make your dream vacation plans and enjoy!

    #5. Taj Mahal, India

    Acres of shimmering white marble, a few thousand semiprecious stones carved and inlaid in intricate Islamic patterns, all in perfect symmetry – the breathtaking mausoleum is the essence of architectural perfection.

    #4. The Great Wall of China

    It’s a myth that it can be seen from space, but this awe-inspiring maze of walls and fortifications stretching for an astonishing 5,500 miles across rugged landscape seem both infinite and indestructible.

    #3. Machu Picchu, Peru

    It’s not the outrageously dramatic Andean setting, nor the way that the city clings to impossibly precipitous slopes that makes Machu Picchu so mind-blowing – it’s the fact that no-one really knows what happened here.

    #2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

    Stretching more than 1,860 miles up the northeastern coast of Australia, it’s home to the world’s largest network of coral reefs and thousands of species of fish and marine life.

    #1. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

    Earlier this year I had the privilege to visit this magnificent masterpiece. The world’s greatest temple to the Hindu god Vishnu, the magnificent monument of Angkor Wat is the crowning glory in a complex of more than 1,000 temples, shrines and tombs that forms a virtual city of spires in the jungles of northern Cambodia.

    Planning to see the world is one thing but more important is planning your financial future. Contact Robert today for a free financial review today.

    angkor wat
    Happy to have my oil painting framed!

     

  • 5 Reasons to visit Sonoma California

    5 Reasons to visit Sonoma California

     

    • Wine tasting: Obviously the #1 reason, however in Sonoma they are committed to educating Travel, wine countryconsumers on the intricacies of production, bottling and distribution. Two of my favorites are Bucher and the Thomas George vineyards. Both of them can be found on the renowned Westside road wine route!
    • Antiques: Unbeknownst to me was the bevy of antique shops mostly found in the Sebastopol area which borders Sonoma and is part of Sonoma county.
    • Seafood: The fresh seafood available in the area is phenomenal. I suggest Nick’s Cove where I had the best bacon and BBQ oysters of my life!
    • Pace of life: This area is laid back and has little in the way of major chain stores. You will see mostly mom and pop boutique shops with friendly and easy people to talk to. Life is simple and there’s a sense of time standing still
    • Micro-climate: Discover their unique climate where it can be 85 degrees during the day and a crisp 55 at night. There’s also a marine layer in some parts that help keep soil moist for optimum grape growing.
  • Summer Travel Tips

    Summer Travel Tips

    Having set foot on five of the world’s seven continents I have learned much. With solid planning I was able to do 3 weeks in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia this January with one carry-on bag and one computer bag.

    summer travel tipsMy top travel tips are:

    1. Call your credit card companies in advance: and tell them where you are going and what dates. I have had cards frozen because companies see a string of out of town charges and they think your cards were stolen.
    2. Think in body sections when packing: I do this in the morning while getting work ready and start from feet to head. It can be stressful the last days before a trip so you don’t want to forget anything so do the same with the kids.
    3. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag: 29 million bags are lost/delayed each year. Be ready when it happens to you!
    4. Buy a guide book if going overseas: I cannot stress this enough. Advanced research prevents issues which can ruin a trip. For example my research told me that in Myanmar and Cambodia they accept US dollars however not with folds or wrinkles. I went to the bank in advance and withdrew $500 of new bills in 1’s, 5’s, 10’s and 20’s. I like “lonely planet” and “rough guides” the best. Look for the most recent edition.
    1. Read negative reviews on hotels: I prefer Trip Advisor and Agoda for international travel.

     

    1. If touring by car get a tune-up and GPS: Nothing worse than getting lost or having your car break down. GPS your destinations in advance for proper time planning.

      Contact Robert here today for a free consultation.

  • 10 Last Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

    10 Last Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

    Ten last minute Mother’s day gifts on a budget under $100

    Mothers usually appreciate the little things that are thoughtful and lasting so most of these ideas will have that theme and some are (DIY) do-it-yourselfers.

    1. The store “things remembered” will do custom engraving on short notice. They are located in most malls and their “custom couture jewelry” is drawing rave reviews.
    1. Things Remembered will also do a custom “music box” so mom can think of you when she’s home doing chores listening to her favorite tunes.
    1. Her favorite plant. Some folks will print out family pictures and wrap them around the plant pot so she can look at family in addition to the plant.
    1. A yoga mat and/or towel. For the yoga mom these gifts are available and reasonably priced on amazon.com with overnight or 2 day shipping.
    2. A VHS to DVD format converter is available new and used online at amazon.
    3. A gift basket. This can be customized yourself and include some of mom’s favorite oils, bath salts, perfume, a book, candles and a relaxing CD.
    4. A family scrapbook or montage. This can also be framed and hung up. Mom’s love this stuff and appreciate the effort putting it together.
    5. A certificate for a home cleaning. Give mom a day off and either hire somebody to clean the house or better yet do it yourself.
    6. A dinner gift card. You can go to restaurant.com and get discounted gift cards either in general or to mom’s favorite restaurant for half price.
    7. If you can’t afford the “day of beauty” a mani/pedi gift card will go over very well as mom’s deserve to be spoiled.
    • Bonus belated gift idea. Mom’s usually have special feeling for the grandchildren so get pictures of them put onto coffee mugs.

    Cheers to my mom and all the fabulous moms out there that do so many things they don’t always get acknowledged for!!

    Mom was good to you so be good to yourself. Contact Rob today for a free no-obligation consultation.