The Big Apple

20 random observations from last weekend in NYC

1) I learned from someone it's not a great idea to drink a Starbucks Frappucino and a bottle of water within a five minute timeframe.

2) Dad got hooked on Sequence before we even started a game. I guess he's pretty quick to make up his mind about something and then slow to change it.

3) Only my dad would have dinner at LouCa's and then rush home to catch a Jeff Dunham special on Comedy Central that he had already seen before. On a steek...

4) There is not much to speak of at Ground Zero right now. Where we walked, there was no sidewalk, no memorial, nothing. Just a two-block long huge hole with a few construction cranes. And now the future building will not be called the Freedom Tower. I am okay with that as long as it doesn't get some lame corporate name. When people hear the name of the building, they should be reminded of 9/11 or what was there before.

5) The Natural History Museum was incredible. The dinosaur skeletons were excellent. But the Brontosaurus is no longer called that. They took his name away like they took planet status away from Pluto. No good!

6) We rode a lot of subways. Everyone on there is very tight-lipped, very closed off. Very understandable. But then we walk into Central Park. It felt like another place. Everyone was smiling, seemed like when they walked through the green, their problems disappeared, if only for a short while. Lots of dogs...And I got to climb rocks just like when I was in New England. That's one of the few things that still relaxes me. And I credit Chicago for setting space aside for parks and quieter areas.

7) Dad was so sad that the Nathan's in Penn Station is being reconstructed. The downtrodden look on his face... I swear it was like he lost his best friend.

8) John's sausage rolls...Hellooooooooooooo! And the thin crust pizza with the ground beef and onion...Dang. And the Brooklyn Pilsner beer. Man oh man. Somehow, I got very energetic in that restaurant. Despite what the Chicago bigshots like Mark Malnati may say, that thin crust style they cook in a coal-fired brick oven at John's is the best pizza around. And by the way Mark, the first syllable of "sausage" is pronounced like "Fall" not a short "a" like in "ask." There is a "u" in the word, so use it!

9) Another food opinion. Junior's cheesecake is simply the best in the world. I don't want to hear about Eli's and I damn sure don't want to hear about the Cheesecake Factory. This is a much lighter, airier cake, with a sponge cake bottom instead of graham cracker. And I had a slice with crushed pineapple and sugar crumbs on top. Off the charts. Dad had a devil's food cheesecake with a layer of cheesecake on top of a layer of chocolate cake and then surrounded by more chocolate and hazelnuts. Tara had the opportunity to devour a chocolate swirl cheesecake. And only one of us finished our slice...Maybe it was because I was the only one who did not drink any coffee.

10) As we walked from Penn Station across the street to MSG, I walked by the spot where Mom was hit by a taxi a few years ago. I still can't get that out of my mind.

11) There is no sports arena like Madison Square Garden. The buzz in that building is second to none. If I could only see all the banners in the rafters...I hope the renovation will take care of that problem.

12) The Rangers fans in the blue heaven are so rabid. As rabid and devoted as any fans I have ever seen. And Dad and I fit right in!

13) I still cannot find a concession booth in the Garden that serves cotton candy in the 300 level or in the 400 level. And there isn't exactly much room in the concourses to get around the building.

14) It is never a good idea to elbow a girl in the nose and nearly knock her down a flight of stairs. And when you know the girl rather well, eh, it's a worse idea.

15) I did not get to Ring of Honor's 7th Anniversary Show, which was going on just one block up from the Garden at the Manattan Center. I wished I could have at least seen Nigel McGuinness vs. KENTA for the world title live. But I wanted all three of us to go or none of us to go. Ah well, I will have to wait for the DVD to come out next month.

16) I really hate flying standby. Bumped off three flights total.

17) If that wasn't enough, our return flight to Chi-town was cancelled and we did not find out about it until after we arrived at the airport. So I called Dad back and he drove 30 minutes back to Newark Airport, picked us up, and drove another hour to take us to LaGuardia airport in Queens, where they have hourly flights on American to Chicago. And that turned out to be okay. Because just before we pulled off the highway to the airport, we passed by CitiField. Looks pretty darn impressive from the outside. If they could only add another 5,000 seats...

18) NYC simply has a spark, a heartbeat to it that I have never seen anywhere else. I'm not saying it is the best city, many would argue otherwise. But in Manhattan, it fells like something is happening on every corner. Other places have a more laid back feel in certain parts. And that can be a very good thing. But there is that little, indescribable, intangible extra something you feel when walking through Manhattan.

19) I am a fortunate guy to have the things I have and to have lived what I have been able to live.

20) Anybody up for some more games of Uno in LaGuardia airport, if someone knows what I mean...

PS. Tara and I had lunch at Chipotle after we got back in town. This is really bothering me. Instead of $1.35, it costs $1.80 to add guacamole to a burrito. I am seriously pissed over this. Now I know it's only a raise of a quarter and two dimes, but are we going to get to the point where avocados cost more than the meat? This is just not cool. As an American, I should have the right to enjoy avocados without worrying the price will soar like premium gasoline. President Obama, keep our guacamole affordable!!!!