More Travels with Allen
By Allen Herman
Every month I write about my “travels.” Recently I received two emails from people who suggested I only wrote about people who advertise in our publications. At first I was simply going to respond with a “why not.” But then I gave the emails some more thought and decided, despite the fact that their complaints were not one hundred percent accurate, that I would write an article about people Linda and I use or people “super salesman Al” couldn’t sell.
Southwest Airlines is our airline of choice. I realize that our little paper is not their cup of tea, but they are our “thumbs up” wings. They never charge extra for luggage or seat assignments. They don’t penalize flyers for changing flights and, as we learned, will allow people to even change airports without extra fees. They also answer their phones promptly with English speaking people.
Their personnel, with rare exception, are polite and pleasant. They fly American-made aircraft (I like that) that are new, up-to-date and always clean. Their frequent flyer program is tops, especially if you use your credit card for business reasons. At the moment they are offering a sixty thousand mile bonus for new sign ups. I urge you to look into this offer.
We have always had good luck with the line and I am comfortable in recommending them. If I have any complaint it is the fact that you often must change planes to get to your final destination. We fly a good bit and they are always our first choice.
There is a wonderful Italian pizza spot on Philmont Avenue in Huntingdon Valley that serves the best crab cakes in the Delaware Valley. Forget Baltimore and local seafood houses, strange as this sounds Seasons Pizza is tops. They always have great daily specials and the food is always interesting and good. The prices are realistic, the building is both pleasant and immaculate. Their crab cakes are unbelievable. We visit there frequently and they have agreed to advertise in our next edition of Food Ponz scheduled to hit the street in November.
If you need a good sound, inexpensive used car, for the third or fourth member of your household, I want to mention Shipe Motors near the corner of County Line and Jacksonville. Let me point out that there are three lots on that corner …. so make sure you stop at the right spot. The owner is quite a character. He is a former Green Beret who served multiple tours in Vietnam and came back a very decorated hero. He has a wonderful story to tell about how he worked for Boscov’s for years and years. I promised not to print the story but you should urge him to share it with you. Trust me, that story alone is worth the trip.
Back to used cars, he only brings in cars that he knows are in good shape. The selection is impressive, they are all priced right and there are no lemons to be found. By the way, should you purchase a car from Shipe, when your deal is done, if you mention that you are a veteran, you will get another five hundred bucks off. No joke!
If you enjoy Mexican food the place to go is Rey Azteca on York Road in Warminster. This former Pizza Hut is the best. Hands down, the best. They have a great menu, large and diverse. The food is always good and the prices, for lunch and dinner, are more than fair. Rey Azteca has a large and dedicated staff. The establishment is always clean.They want to please you. They have a sizable parking lot. The word is out and they always have a full parking lot and a full casa.
If you are in Jenkintown you will spot Beifelds Jewelry on York Road. The store is run by Scott and his wife. They have an amazing selection of just about anything that glitters or ticks. I have dealt with them on several occasions and they have never disappointed. It is a pleasant store owned by pleasant people who take the time to select the perfect “goodies” for their patrons. So if you need a gift this is the place. They have a wide price range and a comprehensive inventory. By the way, this is one store in Jenkintown with ample free parking at the door.
Further down in Jenkintown is Joey Tates restaurant. Nothing fancy, but super. Linda and I belong to a nearby synagogue and many of the congregants have urged us to write about this location. It is a nice, clean, pleasant spot with a simple, but solid menu of staples. The owner, who is from Warrington, watches over everything that happens there. Many go for breakfast and lunch in this local family favorite. Again, as I said, nothing fancy but a great little local beehive for a good basic meal at a reasonable price.
If you love to meander through re-purposed items head on up York Road to Artefact Architectural Antiques where you will find all types of old products from closed factory gears to baby prams and hundred year old shutters and industrial tables. The place is really fun and you can get lost in its vast and imaginative collection of items from years gone by. You can spend hours wandering through their large, and constantly changing old stuff. It really is a “pickers paradise.” I wouldn’t be surprised if Mike and Frank from the TV show appear here.
I have saved this item for last. Please, I encourage you to read this carefully … it may save you thousands of dollars. I am not exaggerating. Last year I wrote about a young man who had just entered the insurance business. He was going door to door trying to sell all types of insurance. As you know, I am a salesman. In today’s world many identify this career with the likes of spousal abusers and child molesters. I disagree. I have done many things in life from teaching to running a factory but I enjoy helping … note I didn’t say selling … people with their needs the most.
So I invited this young chap into my office more out of compassion than need. Guess what? He quickly switched me to State Farm and saved me over three hundred and fifty bucks a month on auto, home and umbrella insurance. I learned very quickly that all insurance companies are not alike and many charge dramatically different rates for very similar coverage. As a result I urged all of our readers to review their coverage and to get quotes from a variety of firms.
Last week I stopped in to visit a potential advertiser (I got him) and received another education. If you are over sixty five and ordering supplemental insurance don’t get burned. While the government mandates that the insurance policies be exactly the same each company can charge what it wants for similar coverage.
For example, a twelve ounce bottle of coke is a twelve ounce bottle of coke. You may find stores charging various prices but it will always be a twelve ounce bottle of coke. If you are ordering the F form of supplemental insurance it can be the “same can of coke” with different prices from different companies. I would never have known this if I had not visited the Insurance Shops on Bustleton Avenue in Feasterville. Government “speak” can be most confusing and can lead to erroneous assumptions.
Ron Hyman’s company represents tons of insurance companies. He is not a representative of any one company and has computerized his office so that he can automatically search all the firms for the best deal for his clients. It is great!
Believe this or not … I have had a policy from one firm for many years and have been paying $452.00 a month for excellent coverage. I assumed it was expensive because of its comprehensive coverage. (As most of our readers know I have had several health issues and never had to pay a penny. I assumed my coverage was costly because of its comprehensive coverage.) The Insurance Shops got me the exact same … repeat exact same … policy from another insurer for $244.00 a month. Let me say this again, I got the exact same policy with the exact same coverage for $208.00 dollars a month less. WOW!
If you need insurance, and we all do, I suggest you contact Ron at the Insurance Shops. He may be able to save you a bundle. He is also an entertaining guy with a marvelous sense of humor and can turn what can be an ordeal into a pleasureable experience.
That’s it for this month. Let me wish our friends of the Jewish faith a happy and healthy New Year. Again, many thanks for the fabulous support so many of our readers have demonstrated. Recently, Linda and I were at a convention and were asked how we were managing to grow while many other print products were disappearing. I quoted Sally Field who said “they like us.” And we like you, too!
I was in the Gold Guys on Second Street Pike in Southampton when an elderly woman gave me a huge hug when she found out I was “traveling Al.” She gave me the best left handed quote I have ever received. She said, “Don’t listen to anybody, I think your smart.”
See you next month!
