Larry - Island Real Estate Blog

October 26, 2008July 17, 2024

Amalie Arena Offers Wonderful Venue for Anna Maria, Florida

The Amalie Arena is the permanent host to the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey team as well as the Tampa Bay Storm football team. The arena offers Anna Maria Island residents and visitors big time entertainment. At the time of this writing, Amalie Arena is hosting many big name entertainers. Neil Diamond, Wiggles, AC/DC, Celine Dion, and Dane Cook the comedian.

The Amalie Arena has a fantastic interactive Seating diagram that allows you to see the view you can expect when choosing your seats. 130, 101, 102 and 117, 116, and 115 are first level and in the middle of the Forum.

The Arena has several ATM’s. There are two Tampa General Hospital first aid offices in the forum. Smoking is not permitted inside although there are several outside areas provided. Disabled seating can be purchased at (813) 301-6536. Amalie restricts Alcohol, food or beverages, bottles, cans, laser pointers, large banners or signs, chains, fireworks, weapons, and no video or audio recording devices. Be careful, if your camera has video recording capabilities you may be required to make a long trek back to your vehicle to deposit your camera.

There are plenty of food choices at the Forum however expect to eat for twice what you would at Mcdonalds for similar eats. Hamburgers, Chicken Nuggets, Pizza, ice cream, peanuts, cotton candy, french fries, hot dogs, just about anything you can imagine.

The Amalie website has great directions but in case you need directions from Anna Maria Island: travel along Route 64 East to RESIDENTIAL State Route 41 North (The Non-Business Route). Take 275 South and move on to I-75 North to Tampa, Florida. Off of I-75, take State Route 618 also known as Crosstown West until Exit #7. Take Exit 7 which is known as Downtown West exit and follow the exit loop. There is a parking lot to your immediate left once the exit ramp ends. Turn left on East Bell Street and Park. Parking at the time of this article is $8.

Amalie Arena
401 Channelside Drive
St. Petersburg, Fl, 33602
(813) 301-2500 For Entertainment tickets
(813) 301-6600 For Sports tickets

Visit our Tampa Bay visitor page for more information on Tampa Bay.

Larry

Meet Larry Chatt. Larry is the Broker/Owner of Island Real Estate – and has owned Anna Maria Island investment property while residing in New England, Ohio, Colorado, Iowa and across Europe. He and his family have been on the island for decades and Larry has served his community in various roles with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce

October 26, 2008January 22, 2021

Tampa Bay Hockey Is Great Big City Sports Entertainment

Tampa Bay Lightning offers wonderful “big city” sports entertainment for Anna Maria Island residents and visitors. Tampa, Florida entertainment starts in early October and regular season games end in Mid-April. Post season games typically last until late May, early June. The drive from Anna Maria via East of Tampa is about a 1 hour drive and West of Tampa is about 1 hour and twenty minutes.

Specific directions from Anna Maria Island are as follows: take Route 64 East to Route 41 North (The Non-Business Route). Pick up 275 South and then take I-75 North to Tampa. Take State Route 618 also known as Crosstown West until Exit #7. Take Exit 7 which is the Downtown West exit and follow the exit loop. There is a parking lot to your immediate left once the exit ramp ends. Turn left on East Bell Street and Park. Parking at the time of this article is $8. The exact address of the Amalie Arena is 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa, Fl, 33602.

There is plenty of food to choose at the Tampa Bay Lighteing hockey games. Westshore pizza has good pizza but I would skip the philly cheesesteak. I absolutely love Five Guys Burgers and Fries. They give you a bag of fries that is large enough to feed two big guys or a family of four. Their burgers are fantastic. Of course there are peanuts, beer, soda, pretzels, cotton candy, chicken fingers and fries, hot dogs, etc. Yes there is a place that sells salads on the first level where Five Guys Burgers and Fries can be found.

If you go to a hockey game give yourself about 1.5 hours to make the normal 7:30 PM starting games. They have lots of games with give-aways so plan accordingly if you the give away is a must have. Be ready for a late night. Normally we get back to Anna Maria Island at about 11:30 PM.

Amalie Arena
Tampa Bay Lightning
401 Channelside Drive
Tampa, Fl, 33602

Larry

October 14, 2008December 5, 2020

Anna Maria Island Rainy Day Top 5

Paradise needs to have a rainy day or two. If you are unfortunate enough to catch a rainy day while on Anna Maria Island there is still plenty to do. Most things to do on a rainy day are off the island in Bradenton, FL however it is just a short drive away. Most area attractions off Anna Maria Island can be found on Manatee Avenue or Cortez road. Below is our top five things to do while enduring a rainy day on Anna Maria.

Bowling on a Rainy Day

Just off Anna Maria Island in Bradenton you can find Bowling. Only 15 minutes from Anna Maria, FL you will find open bowling just of Cortez. Visit our Florida Bowling Blog for more information.

Oakmont Theater

Go take in the latest big screen movie. The Oakmont Theater is a newly renovated theater just of Cortez only 15 minutes from Anna Maria Island. There you will find all the normal requirements necessary to enjoy the latest blockbuster of a movie. Popcorn, reclining seats, hot dogs, candy, soda, everything you need to gain those extra 5 lbs needed to ensure you were on a true vacation.

Restaurants on Anna Maria Island

Go out to anyone of our fabulous restaurants on Anna Maria island. Obviously outdoor seating will not work well under rainy circumstances but there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Whether it be a breakfast or lunch just to catch up or a 5 course meal your are sure to find plenty of choices on or off Anna Maria Island.

Read a book at the Library

Go relax and read a good book or catch up on the latest magazine gossip or news at the Holmes Beach City Library. For a small amount you can become a member of the library. Of course you only need a library card if you plan to take books, CD’s, or DVD’s home for review there. It’s absolutely free to use the 8 computers they have on site with Internet as well as use their Internet hub for your laptop. They have an amazing collection of DVD’s, VHS movies, as well as some recent publications for self help or the latest novel you have been looking to read. The children’s area has plenty of books, games, a computer for their use as well as soft plush toys to play with.

Spa Day

Pamper yourself with a spa day. Anna Maria Island enjoys many “full meal deal” spas that can accommodate your every whim. Massage, pedicure, hair, sea wraps, you name it. Anna Maria City, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach boasts several spa choices to choose from. In addition there are several individuals that will come to your vacation rental and give you a massage in your accommodations. Perhaps on a covered beach front patio? It’s a bit tough to schedule a rainy day in paradise but you should be able to plan your spa day last minute as there are plenty of choices on Anna Maria Island.

Larry

September 28, 2008December 5, 2020

Garbage Schedule Changes for Holmes Beach, Florida Residents

Attention owners in Holmes Beach, Florida, the garbage pick up days have changed to Tuesday and Friday’s. Unfortunately, recycling continues to be on Monday’s and organic waste pickup remains on Wednesday’s. Looks like the only day Holmes Beach residents on Anna Maria Island leave their trash alone will be Thursday’s.

Due to the Manatee avenue drawbridge closing for repairs your trash, recycling, and organic waste pickup should be curbside by 6 AM. Once the bridge is open and back up running the normal pick up time of 7:30 AM should resume.

Larry

September 20, 2008December 5, 2020

China 1 has Chinese Food on Anna Maria Island

Looking for a quick bite to eat? China 1 which calls its home on Anna Maria Island in Holmes Beach is a great alternative for either take out or eat in. They have a small area where you can eat in with about 5 tables. Of course take out encompasses the majority of their business. There food is good and my son loves the orange chicken or the sesame chicken. They offer a more reasonable meal alternative for Anna Maria Island. Please note, in the high season I have run into problems as they often run out of chicken as well as other popular items. This is especially the case on weekends and as the evening goes by. Give it a try. Your favorite Chinese dish may not taste exactly the same as your favorite Chinese restaurant at home but it will be darn close!

China 1
3236 East Bay Drive
Holmes Beach, FL, 34217
(941) 779-2933

If you are looking for a quick alternative to Chinese food try Tortilla Bay located in Central Holmes Beach.

Larry

September 6, 2008December 5, 2020

Hurricane Ike Could Be an Un-Invited Guest to Anna Maria Island

September 8th, 2008, 12:00 PM – Hurricane Ike

Life is good in paradise. The current three day path has Anna Maria Island well out of the path. We will get some rain and wind but the only folks impacted by Ike will be the surfers. All is clear and this will be Island Real Estate’s last post on Ike unless conditions change severely. At this point Island Real Estate WILL NOT implement our hurricane preparation for Hurricane Ike.

September 7th, 2008, 8:00 AM – Hurricane Ike

The projected path looks more encouraging this morning. Although the projected path shows Anna Maria Island will miss a direct hit we are still concerned with the most Northern path which would place the island in harms way of a pretty significant storm surge. This morning Ike is a Cat 4 but the path continues to be pushed Southward which is good news for Anna Maria Island and worse news for Texas. Island Real Estate has not yet initiated its hurricane preparation plan for our owners. We will continue to supply more information later in the day or Monday.

September 6th, 2008, 8:00 AM – Hurricane Ike

Island Real Estate of Anna Maria Island, Inc will be tracking Ike for our owners and concerned absentee owners. What has us concerned is the severity and the projected path. The 5 day path has Anna Maria Island ever so close to taking a direct hit from Hurricane Ike. Currrently Ike is a category 3 down from a category 4 and Ike is very organized. The dry air from the North is slowing it down but this also results in a more Southward direction. Each Forecast I have seen continues to push more and more to the South. The BIG trouble with the current path is that it puts Anna Maria Island to the West of the eye which is where storm surge is most significant and a category 3 is going to create 10’+ storm surge. We will keep an eye on Ike and lets hope the cone continues to be pushed South. Island Real Estate has NOT started storm preparation as of yet for our owners. We will let everyone know if and when we initiate our storm preparation.

Larry

September 4, 2008July 18, 2022

Tortilla Bay Is a Great Addition to Anna Maria Island Dining – CLOSED

Sorry, Tortilla Bay is CLOSED. A great Tex Mex choice on Anna Maria Island is Poppo’s up in Anna Maria City.

Tortilla Bay serves fresh Tex-Mex food in a diner like environment. The restaurant offers less than the usual amount of variety however the food quality makes up for the choices. Everything I have tried has been a favorite. Taco’s, a delectable taco shell salad with your choice of chicken, pork, or beef, and burritos. They have a few choices for your children which comes with a soft drink and choice of cookie. Most meals are served with nacho chips and a small portion of salsa. You can purchase guacamole, sour cream, or extra salsa for a minimal charge. A must try is the Queso cheese dip, it’s fantastic! My five year old son even dips his chocolate chip cookie in the dip because obviously it tastes better than the cookie. Now that’s a compliment coming from a five year old!

If you are looking to be served a dinner this is not the place for you. Once you enter the restaurant you walk straight to the back and give your order at the bar and pay your bill. Once the food is prepared they call your name and you grab your lunch or dinner. Tortilla Bay restaurant is a great inexpensive option to Anna Maria Island dining. Portions are a comfortable size and they serve beer and wine. Continue reading “Tortilla Bay Is a Great Addition to Anna Maria Island Dining – CLOSED”

Larry

September 2, 2008December 5, 2020

Anna Maria Island Stormy Surfing

Most of us don’t look forward to late summer because with the heat comes major storms. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief when a hurricane misses Anna Maria Island. Surfers really look forward to near misses and travel hundreds of miles to find high surf on the Gulf Coast. High tide as well as hurricane Gustav and Ike created fabulous surfing conditions the last few weeks on Anna Maria Island. The entire island was overrun with surfers. Every beach access point was packed with cars filled with anxious surfers. Watching surfers make it to the beach to see the surf for the first time was like seeing a child on Christmas morning. I didn’t need to see smiles on the surfers faces, I could see they were smiling from the glimmer in their eyes.

Firstly, I have NEVER seen the beach as crowded as it was Sunday and secondly on a cloudy stormy day. It was a site to be seen that I wish all visitors to Anna Maria Island could have witnessed. I took many photos and I hope that these help bridge the gap for everyone to feel the awe inspiring energy that was present. It was amazing! Most of us hunker down as a storm’s arm reaches out to give us stormy weather. I think surfers of Florida showed the Anna Maria Island residents and visitors why rainbows come out on a rainy day! Who would have known such a treasured experience could be found on a stormy day?

View the video below and turn up the sound if you hear nothing.

Want your children to learn how to surf? Be sure to check out the video of the Children Surfing classes, wow!

Larry

August 18, 2008December 5, 2020

Tropical Storm Fay – Timelines and Information

8-19-08 : 8:00 PM

No rain. Not much wind. This will be our last entry unless Fay loops around from the East Coast. All is well in paradise on Anna Maria Island.

8-19-08 : 4:19 PM

Sunshine has come out on Anna Maria Island!! About 4 minutes of rain up to this point today.

8-19-08 : 2 PM

No rain yet…Not much wind either…

8-19-08 : Noon

No rain as of yet on Anna Maria Island. Wind is not extreme and maybe 5-10 mph so far. Sky is fairly overcast and looking to the West you can see some patches of blue skys. Manatee county closed all shelters at 10AM today and sent everyone home. Manatee County schools will be in full session tomorrow, 8-20-08. All after school activities for 8-20-08 will be scheduled business as usual. Island Real Estate is open for business.

8-19-08 : 6:30 AM

The conditions on Anna Maria Island. Overcast, No Rain as of yet, and just a little wind…from 5-10 mph. The 5 AM advisory has moved Anna Maria Island out of a Hurricane watch into a Tropical Storm Watch and we are no longer in the potential path of Fay! Good News

8-18-08 : 10:00 PM

Weather Channel says Florida dodged a bullet. Tropical storm Fay thankfully just could not get her act together. The latest update shows Fay moving North so landfall will occur earlier than predicted and it appears Fay will hit Naples. For now we remain cautiously optmistic that Tuesday will be no more than a rainy windy day. The Weather channel implied the East coast of Florida would see more of an event than the Tampa Bay/Anna Maria Island Area. There remains a Hurricane watch for Anna Maria Island however the watch continues to move South and the island is the most Northern point at this time.

I took the dusk picture tonight to give everyone an idea of the continued calm before the storm although you can see the clouds look a bit “stormy.”

Just a few minutes ago an alert flashed on the local channel…”Manatee county has a voluntary evacuation for low lying areas. Anna Maria Island to Tarpon Springs under a Hurricane Watch for the next 24 hours.”

8-18-08 : 5:15 PM

The entire team did a great job today. All Island Real Estate owner properties have been reviewed for outdoor projectiles. All guests have been contacted and are comfortable with securing outdoor items at their property.

This statement has been put out by Manatee County;

The 11:30 a.m. Manatee County advisory states that the county is currently under a Hurricane Warning. Beginning at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19, Manatee County will experience tropical storm force winds, with gail force winds beginning at 10 a.m., followed by hurricane force winds at 1 p.m. expected to last until 4 a.m. on August 20, when the storm will slow down to tropical storm force winds. Proper precautions should be taken by residents and visitors to secure their safety.

Manatee County schools and all County offices will be closed Tuesday, August 19. We will be providing industry updates periodically as information becomes available. The next EOC update will be at 8 p.m. this evening. Right now the islands are NOT under any type of mandatory evacuation, except for mobile homes.

8-18-08 : 3:00 PM

Manatee School system just cancelled all classes for 8-19-08.

Anna Maria City has requested that all stick in the ground signs be removed from properties.

All planned maintenance for the day is more than 3/4 of the way complete. Our storm plan is right on track and expect no issues with supporting our ownership to move all potential projectiles inside. Island Real Estate anticipates a very limited staff here in the office prior to noon Tuesday, 8-19-08 with more updates the morning of 8-19-08.

8-18-2008 : 11 AM

The update from the National Hurricane center places the eye going North and later North East. Winds are currently at 60 mph and Fay has had trouble gaining intensity although the experts expect the storm to gain some intensity in the next 12-24 hours due to the warmth of the Gulf waters.

Island Real Estate personnel are calling guests that are in place verifying they are comfortable to move any potential projectiles inside. If they are not comfortable we will be sending an outside service to move in furniture that can be blown around.

Properties that are empty are currently being visited by outside personnel to move in all potential projectiles.

Larry