* TD Ameritrade…Nothing For Nothing!

Recently got this e-mail from reader AFR
***
Hey Jeff,
I recently opened a new online brokerage account with discount broker TD Ameritrade. Had to put in $2,500 and got 500 free ($9.99) trades good for 60 days. If I’m figuring this correctly, TD gave me $5,000 worth of trades for free. I’m not a big trader, maybe I trade 2- 3 or times a month (which would be 4- 6 trades buy-sell, total). Seems like a good deal for me and especially for day-traders. Thought you might like to pass this one onto other readers.
***
Here’s Jeff Eat’s response.

AFR:

Just had a chance to read your e-mail.

If you are a DAY TRADER “on its face” the deal sounds good.

If you are just a casual trader, just think…assuming 30 days in a month, you have 44 days from the day you open the account to use all of those trades. That means you would have to make on average 11.36 trades per day to use up all of the free trades.

In your case, if you execute 4-6 trades a month the fees would be 40-60 bucks…figure 2- months and TD Ameritrade is giving you the grand total of $80- $120 in free trades. Not bad, but a far cry from the $5,000 that “initially” hits your eye when you see its 500-free trades’ advertisement. By the way, I didn’t check, but I’ll bet you have to keep that original $2,500 in your TD Ameritrade account for a certain period of time.

TD Ameritrade (unless you are a real Day Trader) really isn’t giving you as “big” a deal as it initially appears at first glance.

Just so you know, Jeff Eats has had a TD Ameritrade account for a number of years. Long ago, I negotiated an online commission rate far-far lower than the $9.99 you are paying.

Over the years, TD Ameritrade on the whole-got the job done for Jeff Eats…that said,

I will tell you, that over those same years- many of TD Ameritrade’s phone reps/supervisors gave me WRONG INFORMATION about various ‘things” in my account—so, just a word to the wise, keep a close eye on your account and don’t take what TD Ameritrade tells you as being gospel. Jeff Eats will also tell you, that on more than one occasion TD Ameritrade’s online trading system contained incorrect information/and other times the entire system “crashed” and couldn’t be accessed.

Good luck with your trading…

* Where Can I Get A Great Pastrami Sandwich?

The other day, Jeff Eats received the following e-mail from reader Lou G…

Maybe you guys can “help” Lou G out!
***
Hey Jeff,

New to the area.
Just retired and moved to Delray Beach from Long Beach, LI.
Found your site and was wondering where can I get a great pastrami sandwich down here?
Thanks, and I look forward to trying some of your picks.

* FIREFALL (Mardi Gras Casino, Hallandale Beach)

If you are a fan of oldies/classic & folk rock n roll…

Mardi Gras Casino on November 12, 2013 at 8pm is presenting the legendary group FIREFALL in concert.

For what it’s worth, Jeff Eats has seen Firefall in concert and the legendary folk-rock band put on quite a show.

The Mardi Gras Casino “2013 concert” series thus far has featured- The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Grass Roots and The Atlanta Rhythm Section and all three out-door concerts were absolutely dynamite.

Check www.mardigrascasino.com for tickets/info.

Printed below is a PR piece from Mardi Gras’ website on the band/event.
***
Firefall
Live in Concert on November 12, 2013
Top 40 Hits
You are the Woman
Strange Way
Goodbye I love You
Cinderella
Mexico
Just Remember I Love You

The genealogy and musical roots of Firefall run deep in the fertile soil of American folk/rock music. Along with contemporaries like Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Band, The Eagles and Loggins and Messina, they created a sound that defined a generation and forever changed the musical landscape. Defying industry labels, they creatively melded country, folk, easy listening, and rock n’ roll to create a sound that was uniquely their own. Firefall is one of the few surviving bands of this genre, remaining true to the founding vision throughout the bands’ 30 year history.
From 1976 through the 1980’s, Firefall saturated the radio waves with a string of Top 20 hits, selling millions of albums and earning two platinum and three gold records for their efforts. They toured the world over, sharing stages with supergroups like Fleetwood Mac, The Band, The Doobie Brothers, Marshall Tucker, The Beach Boys and America, to name a few. Their dynamic and dazzling live performances gained them a huge and loyal fan base; one that continues to grow even now. In their current live shows, the band continues to expand on their distinctive and melodic sound. Their much loved hits are faithfully recreated with a freshness rare in live performance of such classics. With their newer material, they continue to demonstrate the diversity of the band’s musical excellence. In keeping with the times, the shows often include acoustic “mini sets” and extended jams, which speak directly to the ever growing new generation of fans.
For co-founder Jock Bartley, Firefall is not only a chance to grow musically, but represents a heartfelt commitment to nurturing a musical tradition that he helped to create. Shared for the past 20 years with the same band members, this commitment has successfully carried Firefall into the 21st century. Always giving 100%, Firefall offers live shows that meet, and often exceed audience expectations. Firefall is as valid and as vital as ever; a welcome blast from the past, and focused firmly on the future.
“I think it’s great that in this day and age of trends that change overnight, a kind of music that we helped to create is still around, and growing in popularity.” Jock Bartley

***** Jupiter Donut Factory, 141 Center Street, Jupiter, Florida 33458, (561) 741-5290.

Got an absolutely amazing donut-joint for you…Jupiter Donut Factory in Jupiter.

I guarantee- that after eating this joint’s- glazed, bacon maple walnut, sour dough, chocolate glazed donuts you’ll want to enroll in Jupiter’s Police Academy. Being a drop too old to start a new career, Jeff Eats in homage to Jupiter Donut Factory- will henceforth be known as Jeff Eats Andy Sipowitz or JEAS, for short!

No fooling around, Jupiter Donut Factory makes some of the most delicious donuts that I have ever eaten. For sure, this “mom & pop” joint-has bagels, breakfast sandwiches, coffee, smoothies but the game here is DONUTS.

Not to editorialize or nothing, but…once you have had Jupiter’s donuts, you’ll have a very serious problem eating the stuff that Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme serve-up.

Jupiter Donut Factory is open 7 days a week 6am-2pm.

* McDonald’s Does Wings!

Read the “below” story in yesterday’s USA Today…

Do you think that “breaded chicken wings” will work–at McDonald’s?
*****
“McDonald’s is set to hatch a fast-food menu item in a fast-growing category it wants to own: chicken wings.
The world’s biggest fast-food chain plans a limited-time roll-out of its “Mighty Wings” starting Sept. 9 — with a nationwide roll-out to be complete by Sept. 24, says Leslie Truelove, director of marketing at McDonald’s USA.
The bone-in wings, breaded and seasoned with cayenne and chili pepper, will be sold through November.
The wings will be sold in packs of three, five and 10, starting at $2.99. And customers can choose from nine sauces, ranging from creamy ranch to chipotle barbecue.
Ronald McDonald doesn’t want to stay grounded as the snack takes flight in the fast-food industry.
By some estimates, wings rank among the fastest-growing category for food-on-the-run restaurants — with sales topping $8 billion in 2012, reports GuestMetrics. That’s up 11% over a year earlier.
“Wings is a major move,” says Scott Hume, editor of the BurgerBusiness blog, which broke the news Monday. “It’s like the Colonel adding a cheeseburger.”
Mighty Wings will make McDonald’s a “serious competitor” to KFC, Popeyes, Church’s and other chicken chains, Hume adds.
Industry analysts are already impressed. “We view the introduction of Mighty Wings as a meaningful catalyst” for improved sales, says Lynne Collier, a restaurant analyst at the firm Sterne Agee.
The chicken segment seems to be on fire. The move by McDonald’s comes less than a year after fast-food rival KFC upended its menu and began selling boneless chicken.
Then, in April, competitor Chick-fil-A upgraded its salad offerings in a bid to appeal to a wider consumer segment, especially Millennials.
Monday’s announcement by McDonald’s “continues the blurring of the lines between burger, chicken, sandwich and pizza chains,” says Hume.
And it’s a bid by McDonald’s to juice sluggish sales that have plagued most fast-food companies in recent months. “The market is such that chains need menu news continuously, not occasionally,” says Hume.
McDonald’s executives believe Mighty Wings will be a hit. The wings were tested in Atlanta, in the fall of 2012, and have since returned.”

***** City Pub, 956 South Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441, (954) 427-8213.

Got something terrific for you–that’s assuming you ain’t a fancy-schmancy type of person…

City Pub an “American-Style” joint in Deerfield Beach. Picture a huge full service bar-attached to a real simple dining area of tables/chairs with a small stage, huge dance-floor and you got-City Pub. Do me a favor and check www.citypubdeerfield.com where you’ll find loads of pictures-so you’ll know what I’m trying to describe…the site also has full menu/entertainment schedule.

Just so we are straight, although it has its fair share of flat screen tvs-City Pub doesn’t look like Duffy’s, Friday’s, ____(fill in name) Ale House…rather, it reminds me of the local bar & grills that literally were on every other Brooklyn corner in the 1950s-1960s…no fooling around, City Pub has virtually no “decor”-and is very dimly lit…Trust this Yeshiva bocher from Brooklyn-I’ve spent my fair share of nights in no decor-dimly lit bars…and City Pub could be the poster child for the genre.

So you know, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have been to City Pub twice–and we absolutely loved the joint. This is a place where people come to drink-eat-socialize. The joint is open Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm-to late—and features live entertainment. When you check City Pub’s website, take a close look at its entertainment line-up…doo wop groups, rock bands, Motown bands, impersonators, comedians. On the food front-although the joint’s menu isn’t huge, there are enough appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, entrees and desserts-so nobody’s gonna go home hungry. For what it’s worth, the bacon cheeseburger, french fries, fried greenbeans, philly cheese-steak sub, blackened mahi-mahi sandwich, rack of babyback ribs that Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats had–were as good, if not better than the “stuff” served by the Duffy’s, Friday’s and ____(fill in name) Ale House that dot the area.

Now, I’m not saying that everybody is gonna dig City Pub…all I know-is that Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats had an absolute blast and will definitely be back for more go-rounds.

* Could This Really Be?

Four old retired men are walking down a street in Yuma , Arizona.
They turn a corner and see a sign that says, “Old Timers Bar – ALL drinks 10 cents.”
They look at each other and then go in, thinking this is too good to be true.
The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, “Come on in and let me pour one for you! What’ll it be, gentlemen?”
There’s a fully stocked bar, so each of the men orders a Stoli martini.
In no time the bartender serves up four iced stoli martinis shaken, not stirred and says, “That’ll be 10 cents each, please.”
The four guys stare at the bartender for a moment, then at each other.
They can’t believe their good luck.
They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis, and order another round.
Again, four excellent martinis are produced, with the bartender again saying, “That’s 40 cents, please.”
They pay the 40 cents, but their curiosity gets the better of them.
They’ve each had two martinis and haven’t even spent a dollar yet.
Finally one of them says, “How can you afford to serve martinis as good as these for a dime apiece?”
“I’m a retired tailor from Phoenix ,” the bartender says, “and I always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the Lottery Jackpot for $125 million and decided to open this place. Every drink costs a dime. Wine, liquor, beer it’s all the same.”
“Wow! That’s some story!” one of the men says.
As the four of them sip at their martinis, they can’t help noticing seven people at the end of the bar who don’t have any drinks in front of them and haven’t ordered anything the whole time they’ve been there.
Nodding at the seven at the end of the bar, one of the men asks the bartender, “What’s with them?”
The bartender says, “They’re retired people from South Florida. They’re waiting for Happy Hour when drinks are half-price, there are trays of free chicken wings-sliders-pigs in a blanket, they all have coupons for a free appetizer and they all want separate checks.”

* Help Michael Baron Out!

Just got the following e-mail from reader-Michael Baron. Can you guys help him out?
***
From: Michael Baron
Subject: Dining and Dancing

Message Body:
I am looking for some good places to eat and dance with music 50′s – 80′s. No
rap, etc. Anywhere from Palm Beach to Miami works with a special emphasis in
the Fort Lauderdale area.

I just found one of your reviews and enjoyed reading it..

* BAGGED!!!

Just read the following story in the New York Post–just think if these NYC-guys got elected down here!

“Council seeks 10-cent bag fee…Shoppers could soon be hit with a 10-cent bag fee for every paper or plastic bag they shlep out of the grocery and retail stores, under legislation set to be introduced in the City Council tomorrow. Eight council members have signed on to the eco-friendly endeavor, which would require retail stores to charge–and allow them to keep–a dime for every bag provided to customers. ‘We want to achieve dramatic reductions in bag waste, but we also want to make sure we don’t have any harmful impacts on…small businesses,’ one of the bill’s lead sponsors, Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn, right) said outside City Hall. ‘You can avoid it entirely if you bring your reusable bags.” He said the move emulates efforts in Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and DC that have cut down bag waste by 60 to 95 percent. Officials said the goal was to hit at least the 60 percent mark here while saving on a good chunk of the $10 million the city spends yearly to ship used bags to out-of-state landfills. Customers who pay for groceries with food stamps would be exempt. Restaurants too, would be exempt, while street vendors would not.”
***
The way Jeff Eats sees it…

If a law like this “came” to South Florida, it actually would prove to be a wash—after you’ve spent all of those dimes at Publix, you’ll need to “go” on food stamps…

Governor Scott is looking better and better…

* Gilbert Gottfried (Palm Beach Improv—West Palm Beach)

For what it’s worth, one of Jeff Eats all-time favorite comedians is Gilbert Gottfried…over the years, I’ve seen Gottfried “live” 4 times and each and every time he’s cracked-me up—no fooling around, but the guy who use to be the Aflac Duck—is absolutely brilliant.

Now…assuming we are on the same page here, Gilbert Gottfried is scheduled to make a series of rare South Florida appearances at the Palm Beach Improv, 550 Rosemary Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida 33410, (561) 833-1812 www.palmbeachimprov.com on Friday-August 30th (8pm, 10:30pm), Saturday-August 31st (7pm, 9:45pm), Sunday-September 1st, (7pm). Tickets are 22 bucks (there is also a 2 drink minimum) and you can buy them on-line.

For those of you who have never been to the Palm Beach Improv…trust me, it’s a great looking showroom and every seat is good. Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have been going there for years—to watch America’s top comics. Just a suggestion—in addition to the show, plan on eating at the Improv…the joint has a very reasonably priced menu and its burgers, cheesesteak sub, wings are probably as good if not better than the stuff your favorite sports bar serves-up.

For those of “you” who may-be from Mars—who don’t know who or what about Gilbert Gottfried, the Palm Beach Improv site has a video for you to watch…also printed below is the Improv’s “biography” for Gilbert Gottfried…

“Gilbert Gottfried: At the young age of 15, Gilbert Gottfried began doing stand-up at open mike nights in New York City and, after a few short years, became known around town as “the comedian’s comedian.” After spending several years mastering the art of stand-up comedy, producers of the legendary NBC late night comedy show Saturday Night Live became aware of Gottfried and, in 1980, hired him as a cast member. It wasn’t until a few years later when his true notoriety would begin when MTV hired him for a series of improvised and hilarious promos for the newly formed channel. This led to several television appearances on “The Cosby Show” and “Late Night with David Letterman.” Gottfried’s work in television soon led to roles in film. Most notable was his improvised scene as business manager Sidney Bernstein in the hit sequel “Beverly Hills Cop II,” for which the New York Daily News said that, “Gilbert Gottfried steals the picture with a single scene.” Aside from his glowing reputation in comedy clubs, Gottfried began to gain a reputation as the king of quirky roles in both movies and television. He appeared in such movies as “Problem Child,” “Problem Child II,” “Look Who’s Talking II” and “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.” He was also the host of the very popular late night movie series “USA Up All Night.” After his stellar performance as the wise cracking parrot, IAGO, in the Disney classic “Aladdin,” Gottfried became one of the most recognizable voiceover talents. His signature voice can be heard in several commercials, cartoons and movies. Gottfried also is the voice of DIGIT in the long running PBS Series “Cyberchase.” Gottfried has been a regular on the new “Hollywood Squares” and is a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Howard Stern Show.” Gottfried appeared in the hit comedy documentary “The Aristocrats,” with Entertainment Weekly saying that, “out of the 101 comedians who appear on screen, no one is funnier – or more disgusting – than Gilbert Gottfried.” Part memoir, part twisted social commentary, part scratches on the bathroom wall, “Rubber Balls and Liquor,” Gottfried’s hilarious first-ever book, was recently released. Also recently released on both DVD and CD is “Gilbert Gottfried Dirty Jokes” featuring 50 non-stop minutes of Gottfried telling the funniest and filthiest jokes ever. The show was filmed live at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. Also featured on the DVD is some of the funniest bonus features ever, including wild stories, indignant ranting and celebrity impressions that will leave viewers crying for more. For this live performance, Gottfried puts aside political correctness and fires an onslaught of jokes that know no boundaries. At the end of the show, Gottfried tells what is known among comedians as the “Dirtiest Joke of All Time,” which is also the basis for “The Aristocrats.” Gottfried is one of the most sought-after comedians, and regularly performs live to sold-out audiences across North America.”
For information call
561-833-1812
Located @
550 S Rosemary Ave. Suite 250 / West Palm Beach, FL 33401