I made my picks at the end of July. And now the regular season has come to an end.
All in all, these weren't my best predictions. Like many people, I overrated Philadelphia, Carolina, and Pittsburgh and never saw Seattle or Minnesota playing so well.
In the AFC, I got of 4 of 6 playoff teams correct.
In the NFC, it was terrible, just 2 of 6 correct.
My pre-season Super Bowl of Green Bay vs Houston is still alive, so I will stick with it even thought I don't think either team will make it. But here I go.
AFC
Houston over Cincinnati
Baltimore over Indianapolis
Denver over Baltimore
Houston over New England
Houston over Denver
NFC
Green Bay over Minnesota
Seattle over Washington
Atlanta over Seattle
Green Bay over San Francisco
Green Bay over Atlanta
Super Bowl
Houston over Green Bay
Monday, December 31, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Dead
Our playoffs hope are dead again. I'm too disgusted to write a long drawn out recap. Four points only.
1) First and foremost. This quarterback sucks. He doesn't stink. He sucks. I have never seen a quarterback regress so much since his rookie season. He throws to receivers who are double covered over and over again. The fact that he is guaranteed $8 million next year is a crime and is reason enough to fire Mike Tannenbaum.
2) This GM has got to be fired. There are no playmakers on this roster, no depth to speak of. And they have almost no room to make moves with since they are well over the salary cap.
3) What is with this defense? After Chris Johnson broke the 96-yard TD run they stifled Tennessee. They gave the offense every chance to come back. Once the Jets finally scored, what does the D do? 7 plays, 64 yards, capped off by a 13-yard TD run by Jake Locker.
4) And all the Giants fans reveling in our misery can go screw themselves. I could say so much more. Trying not to curse...
5) My "girlfriend" actually wants to send me a Christmas photo of her and her family where she and her brother are wearing Giants stuff? I'd rather burn that shit.
1) First and foremost. This quarterback sucks. He doesn't stink. He sucks. I have never seen a quarterback regress so much since his rookie season. He throws to receivers who are double covered over and over again. The fact that he is guaranteed $8 million next year is a crime and is reason enough to fire Mike Tannenbaum.
2) This GM has got to be fired. There are no playmakers on this roster, no depth to speak of. And they have almost no room to make moves with since they are well over the salary cap.
3) What is with this defense? After Chris Johnson broke the 96-yard TD run they stifled Tennessee. They gave the offense every chance to come back. Once the Jets finally scored, what does the D do? 7 plays, 64 yards, capped off by a 13-yard TD run by Jake Locker.
4) And all the Giants fans reveling in our misery can go screw themselves. I could say so much more. Trying not to curse...
5) My "girlfriend" actually wants to send me a Christmas photo of her and her family where she and her brother are wearing Giants stuff? I'd rather burn that shit.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Mindy Smith setlist
From SPACE in Evanston
Come to Jesus
Pretending the Stars
Cure for Love
Out Loud
Sober
Bad Guy
Follow the Shepherd Home
Santa Will Find You
If I Didn't Know Any Better
Tennessee
Raggedy Ann
Closer
No One Is To Blame
Highs and Lows
Encore
One Moment More
What Went Wrong
Jolene
Monday, December 10, 2012
Long Saturday
So sporting blue jeans, my blue Jeremy Lin t-shirt, and my classic New York Knicks leather jacket, I left home around 1:15 pm and went the ATM, where I took out $80.00 cash. Michelle was working, I made sure to say hi to her, she's really sweet and cute. The came the drive to the Cumberland blue line station, and I arrived around 2:00, which was great timing. But even better timing, was I didn't even have to wait 15 seconds for thew train to arrive. So I jumped on a car, sat down, and started rummaging through my drawstring bag.
All of a sudden I hear this husky, female voice. "Hi Adam." I looked up and it was Stacey Kolder, one of my co-workers along with her husband and extended family. The last time I had seen her husband, Charlie, was during a CEC football game where he broke both bones in his lower leg. I found out he was out of work for four months while he was recovering. Thankfully, he is now walking around without any problems.
I got off at the Damen stop in Wicker Park, which is much earlier than I normally would. But I had a particular destination in mind: Big Star Tacos. I had see this joint profiled on a Yahoo list of Top 10 taco joints in America. I had to try it out. I walked through a sea of undecorated Christmas trees and opened the flimsy door that looked like it came off someone's back porch. The centerpiece of this place is the rectangular shaped 4-sided bar. At 2:30 on a Saturday, I would guess of the 40 or so seats there, 38 were taken. And I would say all 15 or so tables were occupied as well. That is always a good sign. I grabbed a stool and ordered a limeade to drink. Pretty solid refreshing drink, though I would have liked it a little colder.
I ordered three tacos. The first was the standard pescado with beer battered tilapia, chipotle mayo, cabbage, cilantro, and lime. The fish came out very crispy and moist. The mayo added some kick as well. Very solid fish taco. Then I sank my teeth into the al pastor, which is marinated, spit roasted pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, and cilantro. Now I've eaten al pastor a couple of times before. Never has it been this good. The pork was so tender and had a little bit of a smokiness to it. There was just the right amount or pineapple and cilantro to round it out really well. Finally, I had the taco de panza which is crispy, braised pork belly, tomato guajillo sauce, queso fresco, onion, cilantro. This one was a little saucier than the others. The guajillo added a late kick of spice, not hot, but just a little extra kick. The crumbled queso on top really helped to round this one out.
I still wasn't full so I asked the girl at the bar about the Sonoran hot dog, which was a hot dog I had heard about and seen on TV, but never tried for myself. She warned me it was pretty big and that I better be hungry. She also said it was around the size of a small football. I said bring it on. Within five minutes, it came out. A crispy, bacon wrapped, all beef hot dog topped with chopped tomatoes, pinto beans, lime mayo, mustard, onions, and hot sauce on a bolillo roll. I ate it with a fork and had next to no trouble wiping it out. Total bill: $19, before tip. Excellent and definitely worth a return. Oh, I did chat with a blonde girl, who sat down next to me while I was working on my hot dog. She was an artist back who was just returning to town for the weekend and we struck up a short conversation. I didn't ask her name, but I didn't really need to either. It was nice for a few minutes.
After refusing a guy's request outside to let him borrow my cell phone, I took the blue line south. Once again, I could hear the whistle blowing as I was climbing the stairs. The train was just waiting for me and I got on. I went about five stops before getting off at Monroe and walking east to Michigan Ave. I went over to Millennium Park where I watched folks ice skating as the traffic whizzed by past them. I took a few photos of Cloud Gate, otherwise known as The Bean. Then I headed farther north. I made a stop in the Blackhawks store, where I purchased a pair of Original Six pucks, one for me and one for Catherine.
From there, I kept walking north all the way to Chicago Ave. On my way, I noticed a few things. The line for Garrett's popcorn were the longest lines anywhere in the city. They were 50-60 people deep out the door, never mind the people waiting inside the store. To my left, I also saw seven guys in tuxedos walking right down the middle of Michigan Ave. I had no idea what that was all about, until I heard some car horns honking. I looked to my left again, and I saw seven ladies in fancy dresses, including one in white. Pretty good time of year to have a wedding in Chicago. I also got a few photos of the Chicago River and the tree in front of WGN radio and the NBC building.
Of course, after just half a day, my camera battery was already completely drained. So around 4:00, I stopped into a Starbucks and sat down to charge my camera and phone. I listened to a little Steve Somers on my phone. Then it was time for the game. I headed west on Chicago to the red line. Once again, I got downstairs just as the train was approaching. I have no idea how this kept happening to me. I never had that kind of luck with the subways in New York. Anyway, I traveled south three stops to Monroe and then I walked north one block to Madison St. Across the street and over a block, I could see the 20 bus waiting to go. But just as I started running to get the bus to take me to the United Center, it pulled away. So I had to wait another 15 minutes for the next bus to come. But as I stood under the bus stop, two people approached me. They appeared to be in their 40's or early 50's and they were both sporting Knicks merchandise. Their names were Danny and Monica and live in Missouri. I found out they were in town celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. I found out this was part of his present. I explained a little about my life and I also helped explain their best transportation to the arena and then back to their hotel.
So we took a 20 minute ride and I got off a little early at Ashland where Q was enjoying a burger. He gave me my ticket and we walked over to the arena, entering around 5:45. We checked out the team store, I put my hand in the hand molds of the different NBA players, etc. The game started and it was pretty ugly to watch. Very competitive, but not pretty, much more of a defense-oriented game. And without Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks just had too much trouble getting open shots, especially 3-point attempts. Although the game was close throughout, the Bulls pulled away in the end, taking the game 93-85. I had never heard of Marco Bellinelli before this game, but after he dropped 22 points, I'm not gonna forget him anytime soon.
A few other things about the game. I was amazed when Taj Gibson got a double technical foul for supposedly mouthing off to the referees about a foul call. I really thought that was going to give the Knicks a huge lift. Raymond Felton is a good point guard, but he had no right taking 30 shots in this game. By comparison, nobody else on the Knicks took nine shots. Once Tyson Chandler picked up his fifth foul with about six minutes left in the game, the team's aggressiveness went way down and that's exactly when the Bulls took over. Disappointing loss, but at least they rallied to beat Denver tonight in the Garden when Melo returned to the lineup.
Then Q and I headed over to Fifty/50 for some late night grub. I got a table for three downstairs while Q as well as Adam the Jew searched for what seemed like 20 minutes trying to find parking spaces. Meanwhile, I studies the menu as the club music thumped and thumped through my brain. Once they got there, I took plenty of ribbing about the game as I knew I would. I drank two cans of Old Style light. I didn't want a light tasting beer or a wheat beer, I wanted something with some edge and pain. So that's why I picked that one. Then I got the Division burger which is a Triple Secret burger stuffed with Gouda cheese, caramelized onions, and sauteed mushrooms. Then, they top it with bacon, Swiss cheese, and BBQ sauce and serve it on a pretzel roll. One of the best burgers I have in a long long time. It has a very intense beef flavor, and it was so juicy too.
Around 11:45, I decided I'd had enough, so I had Q drive me to the blue line. Once again, I ran up the stairs at Western and the train was sitting there! During the ride, I chatted with a cute brunette (she initiated the conversation) while her boyfriend, I assume, chatted with some drunk. I guess they still had a 45 minute drive back to Rockford, which was actually going to be pretty comparable to my 45-minute ride back to St. Charles. Nine stops on the train and I was back at Cumberland, and I arrived home around 1 a.m. I just wish Julie's phone had been on during that drive; I could have used a late night chat with her.
Money spent
$20.00 CTA card
$23.00 Big Star
$15.00 Hockey pucks
$60.00 Game ticket
$10.00 UC Concessions
$10.00 Gas
$23.00 Fifty/50
$5.00 Subway parking
$166.00 Total
All of a sudden I hear this husky, female voice. "Hi Adam." I looked up and it was Stacey Kolder, one of my co-workers along with her husband and extended family. The last time I had seen her husband, Charlie, was during a CEC football game where he broke both bones in his lower leg. I found out he was out of work for four months while he was recovering. Thankfully, he is now walking around without any problems.
I got off at the Damen stop in Wicker Park, which is much earlier than I normally would. But I had a particular destination in mind: Big Star Tacos. I had see this joint profiled on a Yahoo list of Top 10 taco joints in America. I had to try it out. I walked through a sea of undecorated Christmas trees and opened the flimsy door that looked like it came off someone's back porch. The centerpiece of this place is the rectangular shaped 4-sided bar. At 2:30 on a Saturday, I would guess of the 40 or so seats there, 38 were taken. And I would say all 15 or so tables were occupied as well. That is always a good sign. I grabbed a stool and ordered a limeade to drink. Pretty solid refreshing drink, though I would have liked it a little colder.
I ordered three tacos. The first was the standard pescado with beer battered tilapia, chipotle mayo, cabbage, cilantro, and lime. The fish came out very crispy and moist. The mayo added some kick as well. Very solid fish taco. Then I sank my teeth into the al pastor, which is marinated, spit roasted pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, and cilantro. Now I've eaten al pastor a couple of times before. Never has it been this good. The pork was so tender and had a little bit of a smokiness to it. There was just the right amount or pineapple and cilantro to round it out really well. Finally, I had the taco de panza which is crispy, braised pork belly, tomato guajillo sauce, queso fresco, onion, cilantro. This one was a little saucier than the others. The guajillo added a late kick of spice, not hot, but just a little extra kick. The crumbled queso on top really helped to round this one out.
I still wasn't full so I asked the girl at the bar about the Sonoran hot dog, which was a hot dog I had heard about and seen on TV, but never tried for myself. She warned me it was pretty big and that I better be hungry. She also said it was around the size of a small football. I said bring it on. Within five minutes, it came out. A crispy, bacon wrapped, all beef hot dog topped with chopped tomatoes, pinto beans, lime mayo, mustard, onions, and hot sauce on a bolillo roll. I ate it with a fork and had next to no trouble wiping it out. Total bill: $19, before tip. Excellent and definitely worth a return. Oh, I did chat with a blonde girl, who sat down next to me while I was working on my hot dog. She was an artist back who was just returning to town for the weekend and we struck up a short conversation. I didn't ask her name, but I didn't really need to either. It was nice for a few minutes.
After refusing a guy's request outside to let him borrow my cell phone, I took the blue line south. Once again, I could hear the whistle blowing as I was climbing the stairs. The train was just waiting for me and I got on. I went about five stops before getting off at Monroe and walking east to Michigan Ave. I went over to Millennium Park where I watched folks ice skating as the traffic whizzed by past them. I took a few photos of Cloud Gate, otherwise known as The Bean. Then I headed farther north. I made a stop in the Blackhawks store, where I purchased a pair of Original Six pucks, one for me and one for Catherine.
From there, I kept walking north all the way to Chicago Ave. On my way, I noticed a few things. The line for Garrett's popcorn were the longest lines anywhere in the city. They were 50-60 people deep out the door, never mind the people waiting inside the store. To my left, I also saw seven guys in tuxedos walking right down the middle of Michigan Ave. I had no idea what that was all about, until I heard some car horns honking. I looked to my left again, and I saw seven ladies in fancy dresses, including one in white. Pretty good time of year to have a wedding in Chicago. I also got a few photos of the Chicago River and the tree in front of WGN radio and the NBC building.
Of course, after just half a day, my camera battery was already completely drained. So around 4:00, I stopped into a Starbucks and sat down to charge my camera and phone. I listened to a little Steve Somers on my phone. Then it was time for the game. I headed west on Chicago to the red line. Once again, I got downstairs just as the train was approaching. I have no idea how this kept happening to me. I never had that kind of luck with the subways in New York. Anyway, I traveled south three stops to Monroe and then I walked north one block to Madison St. Across the street and over a block, I could see the 20 bus waiting to go. But just as I started running to get the bus to take me to the United Center, it pulled away. So I had to wait another 15 minutes for the next bus to come. But as I stood under the bus stop, two people approached me. They appeared to be in their 40's or early 50's and they were both sporting Knicks merchandise. Their names were Danny and Monica and live in Missouri. I found out they were in town celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. I found out this was part of his present. I explained a little about my life and I also helped explain their best transportation to the arena and then back to their hotel.
So we took a 20 minute ride and I got off a little early at Ashland where Q was enjoying a burger. He gave me my ticket and we walked over to the arena, entering around 5:45. We checked out the team store, I put my hand in the hand molds of the different NBA players, etc. The game started and it was pretty ugly to watch. Very competitive, but not pretty, much more of a defense-oriented game. And without Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks just had too much trouble getting open shots, especially 3-point attempts. Although the game was close throughout, the Bulls pulled away in the end, taking the game 93-85. I had never heard of Marco Bellinelli before this game, but after he dropped 22 points, I'm not gonna forget him anytime soon.
A few other things about the game. I was amazed when Taj Gibson got a double technical foul for supposedly mouthing off to the referees about a foul call. I really thought that was going to give the Knicks a huge lift. Raymond Felton is a good point guard, but he had no right taking 30 shots in this game. By comparison, nobody else on the Knicks took nine shots. Once Tyson Chandler picked up his fifth foul with about six minutes left in the game, the team's aggressiveness went way down and that's exactly when the Bulls took over. Disappointing loss, but at least they rallied to beat Denver tonight in the Garden when Melo returned to the lineup.
Then Q and I headed over to Fifty/50 for some late night grub. I got a table for three downstairs while Q as well as Adam the Jew searched for what seemed like 20 minutes trying to find parking spaces. Meanwhile, I studies the menu as the club music thumped and thumped through my brain. Once they got there, I took plenty of ribbing about the game as I knew I would. I drank two cans of Old Style light. I didn't want a light tasting beer or a wheat beer, I wanted something with some edge and pain. So that's why I picked that one. Then I got the Division burger which is a Triple Secret burger stuffed with Gouda cheese, caramelized onions, and sauteed mushrooms. Then, they top it with bacon, Swiss cheese, and BBQ sauce and serve it on a pretzel roll. One of the best burgers I have in a long long time. It has a very intense beef flavor, and it was so juicy too.
Around 11:45, I decided I'd had enough, so I had Q drive me to the blue line. Once again, I ran up the stairs at Western and the train was sitting there! During the ride, I chatted with a cute brunette (she initiated the conversation) while her boyfriend, I assume, chatted with some drunk. I guess they still had a 45 minute drive back to Rockford, which was actually going to be pretty comparable to my 45-minute ride back to St. Charles. Nine stops on the train and I was back at Cumberland, and I arrived home around 1 a.m. I just wish Julie's phone had been on during that drive; I could have used a late night chat with her.
Money spent
$20.00 CTA card
$23.00 Big Star
$15.00 Hockey pucks
$60.00 Game ticket
$10.00 UC Concessions
$10.00 Gas
$23.00 Fifty/50
$5.00 Subway parking
$166.00 Total
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
One More NY Ride-Part 2
We woke up at 6:50 and headed downstairs to M&M for their breakfast buffet. For $15, I got unlimited juice, a BTO omelet with bacon, tomatoes, caramelized onions, and cheddar jack cheese, as well as access to pastries, fresh fruit, and cereal. She loaded up on eggs, strawberry French toast, blueberry pancakes, bacon, a sausage link, and a pot of coffee.
We grabbed the 9:40 train straight back to New York. I think I was still feeling a little crabby from the previous night, so I slept most of the way. We were planning to stay in Manhattan, but I think we actually both needed a little recharge. So we just took the E train from Penn Station to Forest Hills, where her mom picked us up, and we went back to her house for a while just to rest up for a bit. I watched the second quarter of that Jets vs Cardinals classic. I'm glad I only had to see one quarter of this train wreck. The Jets won 7-6, but between Mark Sanchez and Ryan Lindley, there has probably never been a professional football game with worse quarterbacking play.
By late in the second quarter, we decided to take off. We took the 54 bus back into Forest Hills. We made a stop at Royal Collectibles, which is a shop with trading cards, sports memorabilia, and artifacts from pop culture, pro wrestling, superheroes, etc. I didn't expect to buy anything, but I did get a color picture of Babe Ruth in 1935 when he was third base coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers as well as a Mike Piazza card. I also liked seeing so many of the old WWF dolls I used to play with when I was a kid. I may still not be totally over mom selling them for so cheap without my knowledge 15 years ago...I'll get there though...
Then we took the F train to Bryant Park in Manhattan. The place felt so festive. We watched hundreds of skaters stumble their way around the skating rink. Then the zamboni came to clean off the ice, which was pretty cool to watch live. We took a few photos of ourselves, including one where she was kissing my cheek. I really like that one. We also explored some of the little shops that had been set up around the rink, including ones for candles, cookies, stained glass, etc. To say the least, that park felt a whole lot more vibrant and busy than it had been when I had first visited it in August. There's just something about Christmas time in New York City that makes it feel so big, so spectacular. Makes me smile.
Then, we made a stop at the NHL Store. I didn't make a purchase, easy as it would have been. I felt pretty tapped out on cash anyway. Between the jerseys, the shirts, the winter hats, they just have so much cool stuff. We did take a few photos together with computer kiosk they have. Then we walked over to Rockefeller Center and checked out the Christmas tree. I can't remember the last time I saw so many flash bulbs popping at once. We took a few more photos of ourselves, this time with the tree in the background, which came out really well.
Then we took, the F, to the L, to the M to get back home. Of course, she got us going the wrong way on the L, since she was expecting or gambling that going backwards just one stop to the end of the L line might get us back home quicker. So naturally, as we were pulling out, a train that was heading our direction showed up. So we got back a little later, but hey, it was only another five minutes I guess.
For dinner, we enjoyed a feast of London broil, roasted potatoes and onions, grilled portabellas, stuffed artichokes, mixed green salad, Parmesan Reggiano cheese, and soprasetta (I passed on the green olives). I drank a glass of red wine and for dessert, I enjoyed some pumpkin pie as well as an huge oatmeal raisin cookie I had purchased at Bryant Park. Yes, this was a weekend where I definitely pigged out on great food! All I needed was a nice sandwich from Katz's to take it over the top.
So then we went into the basement and watched the Jets postgame show before tuning into the Eagles vs Cowboys game. We planned on going to bed around 11, but somehow, we found ourselves watching "Catch Me If You Can." I think we finally fell asleep around 2 am.
I was up at 5:50 am, thanks to Francis coming downstairs; I don't think I even knew I was still asleep, No big deal, I had to be up in ten minutes anyway. I was set to take a plane at 7:45, but Chicago was overrun with fog. So our plane actually left at 8:45, which wasn't too big a deal for me. I'm glad I live in a city where I almost never to fly twice to get to a city. After landing around 10:30, I got my car, and headed straight up I-90 to the office, gobbled down the rest of the pecan pie for lunch, and worked from 12-4. Then it was off to the gym for 30 minutes of cardio and an amazing chicken parmesan dinner at home.
We grabbed the 9:40 train straight back to New York. I think I was still feeling a little crabby from the previous night, so I slept most of the way. We were planning to stay in Manhattan, but I think we actually both needed a little recharge. So we just took the E train from Penn Station to Forest Hills, where her mom picked us up, and we went back to her house for a while just to rest up for a bit. I watched the second quarter of that Jets vs Cardinals classic. I'm glad I only had to see one quarter of this train wreck. The Jets won 7-6, but between Mark Sanchez and Ryan Lindley, there has probably never been a professional football game with worse quarterbacking play.
By late in the second quarter, we decided to take off. We took the 54 bus back into Forest Hills. We made a stop at Royal Collectibles, which is a shop with trading cards, sports memorabilia, and artifacts from pop culture, pro wrestling, superheroes, etc. I didn't expect to buy anything, but I did get a color picture of Babe Ruth in 1935 when he was third base coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers as well as a Mike Piazza card. I also liked seeing so many of the old WWF dolls I used to play with when I was a kid. I may still not be totally over mom selling them for so cheap without my knowledge 15 years ago...I'll get there though...
Then we took the F train to Bryant Park in Manhattan. The place felt so festive. We watched hundreds of skaters stumble their way around the skating rink. Then the zamboni came to clean off the ice, which was pretty cool to watch live. We took a few photos of ourselves, including one where she was kissing my cheek. I really like that one. We also explored some of the little shops that had been set up around the rink, including ones for candles, cookies, stained glass, etc. To say the least, that park felt a whole lot more vibrant and busy than it had been when I had first visited it in August. There's just something about Christmas time in New York City that makes it feel so big, so spectacular. Makes me smile.
Then, we made a stop at the NHL Store. I didn't make a purchase, easy as it would have been. I felt pretty tapped out on cash anyway. Between the jerseys, the shirts, the winter hats, they just have so much cool stuff. We did take a few photos together with computer kiosk they have. Then we walked over to Rockefeller Center and checked out the Christmas tree. I can't remember the last time I saw so many flash bulbs popping at once. We took a few more photos of ourselves, this time with the tree in the background, which came out really well.
Then we took, the F, to the L, to the M to get back home. Of course, she got us going the wrong way on the L, since she was expecting or gambling that going backwards just one stop to the end of the L line might get us back home quicker. So naturally, as we were pulling out, a train that was heading our direction showed up. So we got back a little later, but hey, it was only another five minutes I guess.
For dinner, we enjoyed a feast of London broil, roasted potatoes and onions, grilled portabellas, stuffed artichokes, mixed green salad, Parmesan Reggiano cheese, and soprasetta (I passed on the green olives). I drank a glass of red wine and for dessert, I enjoyed some pumpkin pie as well as an huge oatmeal raisin cookie I had purchased at Bryant Park. Yes, this was a weekend where I definitely pigged out on great food! All I needed was a nice sandwich from Katz's to take it over the top.
So then we went into the basement and watched the Jets postgame show before tuning into the Eagles vs Cowboys game. We planned on going to bed around 11, but somehow, we found ourselves watching "Catch Me If You Can." I think we finally fell asleep around 2 am.
I was up at 5:50 am, thanks to Francis coming downstairs; I don't think I even knew I was still asleep, No big deal, I had to be up in ten minutes anyway. I was set to take a plane at 7:45, but Chicago was overrun with fog. So our plane actually left at 8:45, which wasn't too big a deal for me. I'm glad I live in a city where I almost never to fly twice to get to a city. After landing around 10:30, I got my car, and headed straight up I-90 to the office, gobbled down the rest of the pecan pie for lunch, and worked from 12-4. Then it was off to the gym for 30 minutes of cardio and an amazing chicken parmesan dinner at home.
One More NY Ride-Part 1
So on Friday, I worked a half day and left the office at noon. My coworker Shavonna saw I had my jacket on and my computer was turned off. She asked where I was going and I just told her very simply. "The airport."
I headed back to Blue Sky parking in Schiller Park, dropped my car off, and fought through a very long security line. I guess I learned that Friday afternoon is one of the busiest times of the week to travel. I got bumped off the 2:30 flight, which I suspected would probably happen. But I got the 3:30 instead, which wasn't too bad. My seat was 7D, the first row of coach, which I generally hate since since I have to put my backpack in the overhead compartment. But they let me put it in the first class section so at least I had some space for it. Even more amazing, I had an aisle seat and the two chairs next to me were empty. I was getting ready to curl up, stretch out, and grab some sleep. But this cute blonde girl sitting across the aisle from me asked if she could take the window seat. So my original idea went out the window, but that's okay. I spent most of the flight sleeping, listening to Mets podcasts, and doing Sudoku.
I landed around 7 and Catherine and her mom picked me up at 7:15. We got back and I gave them my two bags of Garrett's buttery and caramel popcorn I had picked up for them in the terminal. And I was treated to a late night snack of homemade pecan pie and fresh whipped cream. As a matter of fact, I'd say it was the prefect holdover before a late night dinner with Catherine at Arturo's.
We took the M train straight to West 4th Street and walked to the corner of Houston St and Thompson St. The tiny restaurant and bar area was packed with people waiting for a table. We only waited about 25 minutes and in the meantime, we listened to a three-piece jazz band playing as well as watching the Knicks take down the Wizards on the TV placed high in the corner of the bar.
For our pizza, we ordered the sausage and fresh mozzarella on one side with our usual fave, bacon and roasted peppers on the other side. I've written so much about their pizzas, that there's really no need anymore. Just that it came out perfect as always. I enjoyed a glass of Merlot while she sipped on a Pinot Grigio.
I had no problem wiping out my four slices. but much to my amazement, she had to stop after finishing her third slice. So we had to go home with a slice of sausage and mozzarella that I tucked inside my jacket pocket.
As we left, we saw this guy outside lugging a big black hard shell case. He tried to get our attention and urged us to donate to the Marijuana foundation, whatever the hell that meant. Catherine seemd to find it funny, but I ignored him for a minute before he turned inside a liquor store. We got home and found Catherine's Uncle Willie and her dad in the basement watching The Munsters. Once they left, we watched a little Boomer and Carton before saying a long good night.
We planned to wake up at 7 and leave around 7:45. By the time Catherine opened the basement door to wake me up, it was already 7:30. Thankfully, I had already loaded my backpack up and was ready to take off after a quick shower. Ellen drove us to Penn Station, but first she dropped us off at the local Middle Village bagel joint. I ordered a sandwich of egg whites, American cheese, and sausage on a marble rye bagel along with a bottle of Tropicana. Catherine got egg whites and bacon on a roll...I definitely think I made the better choice.
The ride from Queens only took about a half hour total as we drove through the Midtown Tunnel. We then took the Amtrak to New Haven, CT. The conductor was a little weird, he kept asking people over the loudspeaker to eat some bananas from the club car, that became kind of a running gag throughout the weekend. Always looking for bananas.
From New Haven, we transferred to the shuttle train for the 45 minute ride to Hartford. As we stepped off the train and headed out of Union Station for our walk to the Hilton, I was amazed how much colder it felt in Hartford than it had in New York. Must have been 30 degrees or so. It was the first time this winter I'd been able to see my breath. Definitely won't be the last though.
So we checked into the Hilton, which is right across Church Street from the XL Center. As a matter of fact, as one of the selling points of the hotel, we were able to use the skywalk that goes from the hotel right into the arena. We stayed in the room for two hours, listening to jazz music and napping for an hour or so...At one point, she sat up and fell backwards of the bed. She came down right on her left butt cheek and her head hit the corner of the wooden TV cabinet. I tried not to laugh, but once I realized her head was ok, I couldn't help but giggle...
At 2:15, we left for Black Eyed Sally's, a New Orleans/BBQ joint in downtown Hartford. During the five or so minute walk, I could see she was limping. I guess her head was okay, but she had banged up her ass a little bit...As we walked in, I was pleased to see there was live music going on a Saturday afternoon. There were three women and a guy in this band and they played some blues. Very cool. The walls were filled with rock and roll themed murals along with some framed pictures of famous blues and rock scenes. Just a very colorful and festive atmosphere.
For the food, we started off with an order of burnt ends. The beef came out moist, though I was hoping to taste a little more smoke flavor. The barbecue sauce was a little sweet for my taste, almost like a KC Masterpiece. I ordered a BBQ combo plate. I enjoyed their pulled pork, especially because it wasn't too shredded. I could actually eat nice sized chunks of meat, which I always appreciate with pulled pork. I came away disappointed with the brisket though. It tasted very generic, almost like a standard sliced roast beef. It definitely needed more seasoning. The red beans and rice were fine, nothing too notable out them. But the cornbread amazed me. I got two big pieces and they were so tall, I could barely get my mouth around them.
And when I applied a little shmear of honey butter, it just went to another level of perfect.
Catherine ordered a shrimp po' boy that she really liked. And she got a side of salt 'n vinegar chips that really surprised me. They were cut nice and thick, tasted crispy and yet tender at the same time. They also had a nice sprinkling of kosher salt for that extra level of flavor. Some of the best restaurant chips I've ever had. Once again, she finished half her meal and we took the rest back to the room!
The band stopped playing as we were eating and then the stereo came on. As we were leaving, I looked at the dance floor. Nothing like seeing a bunch of white fifty-somethings doing the boogie to "Brick House"...
So we walked briskly through the cold back to the Hilton. After dropping a few things off in our room, 1125, we headed down to the hotel's M&M restaurant. Emily Lauren, her sister, and their friend Lauren were sitting there having lunch. I'd been chatting with Emily for a while and it was cool to finally meet her. Amazingly, they were staying in Room 1122, right near us.
Around 4:00, Catherine and I headed back upstairs and got changed for the big game. I donned my blue Ryan McDonagh jersey for the first time. It's so true, there is simply no blue like Ranger blue. No royal, not indigo, not navy. Ranger blue. So we headed through the skywalk and into the lobby of the XL Center. We saw Meghan Colgan and I quickly gave her a big hug. Theresa Valentine was there too, who I met very briefly in April at the Rangers vs Sabres game. We got our team posters and I took a fan photo with a stick and helmet. I spent a lot of time talking with the Lauren clan, especially about music.
At 6, the doors opened and we headed straight down for warmups. I was very intrigued by the geometry of the building. The stands basically go straight up, more so than any other sports arena I've ever been in. In the rafters, I saw banners for the Whalers retired numbers, Wolf Pack titles, etc. There were even some banners for UConn basketball as well.
During the first intermission, I wanted a beer. So I went to this one stand that was selling local brews. I asked to try samples of the City Steam Dirty Daughter and the Hooker Blonde Ale. The woman at the stand got this very nervous look on her face and explained to me she wasn't supposed to do that for me. I explained I was from out of town and if I was going to pay $9 for a beer, I wanted to get something I knew i would like. I thought that was a fair explanation. She looked around very quickly and tensely, her eyes darting back and forth as she placed a plastic cup under one of the taps. She gave me a quick taste of the City Steam beer, which I didn't care for. So I asked for the Hooker for myself and a bottle of water for Catherine. She took the cup to the back and I heard her ask "Can you wash this cup out?" Seriously? Is this organization is so strapped for cash that they can't waste a single cup? Anyway, the Hooker tasted just fine.
Also at one of the merchandise tables, they were selling tons of Whalers memorabilia. One item caught my eye. It was a 94-95 schedule for $1. Keep in mind that season, the league was locked out...what a difference 17 years has made...Anyway, that schedule had 82 games that never even got played!
During the second period, they did a chuck a puck contest, which seems to be at every minor league game I go to now. Before the game, Catherine and I bought 15 foam pucks between the two of us for $10 total. Of the 15 we threw, maybe one hit the square target at center ice. Those pucks are so hard to control. $10 well wasted and I may have strained my shoulder a little bit, but hey, what can you do?
As for the game, the Whale played the Syracuse Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate. The Whale extended their lead to 3-0 lead early in the third period on goals by Christian Thomas, Blake Parlett, and Marek Hrivik. But Syracuse came back with three straight goals in 12 minutes to force overtime. With 46.7 seconds left, Mark Barberio of the Crunch scored the game-winning goal, sending the crowd home very annoyed and disappointed.
Then, I had to let the girls fulfill their autograph and picture requests. So I waited quietly for well over an hour outside in 20 degree weather. Catherine, Meghan, and Theresa spent most of their time talking about memorabilia, meeting players, and all kinds of stuff I had zero interest in. Drunks dressed as Santa stumbled by me to the local bars. Groups of loud teenagers pranced around. To say the least, I was not falling in love with this city by any stretch. I barely said a word to the girls, I mostly checked on the non-happening social media universe and memorized the shapes of the cracks in the sidewalk.
Finally, around 11, we headed back to the Hilton. Even though I had a winter hat and gloves on, my teeth were chattering, my lip was quivering, and I could barely feel my toes. I wouldn't even speak to her, I was so aggravated. But once we got back, Catherine drew some bath water. I dipped my feet in the hot water, but it didn't do the trick. Even after getting into bed, my teeth were still chattering. So I jumped in a very hot shower, which I sorely needed. Then it was bedtime.
Song lyric. "Tonight I'll take a walk across a bridge I didn't burn." Ricky Van Shelton
I headed back to Blue Sky parking in Schiller Park, dropped my car off, and fought through a very long security line. I guess I learned that Friday afternoon is one of the busiest times of the week to travel. I got bumped off the 2:30 flight, which I suspected would probably happen. But I got the 3:30 instead, which wasn't too bad. My seat was 7D, the first row of coach, which I generally hate since since I have to put my backpack in the overhead compartment. But they let me put it in the first class section so at least I had some space for it. Even more amazing, I had an aisle seat and the two chairs next to me were empty. I was getting ready to curl up, stretch out, and grab some sleep. But this cute blonde girl sitting across the aisle from me asked if she could take the window seat. So my original idea went out the window, but that's okay. I spent most of the flight sleeping, listening to Mets podcasts, and doing Sudoku.
I landed around 7 and Catherine and her mom picked me up at 7:15. We got back and I gave them my two bags of Garrett's buttery and caramel popcorn I had picked up for them in the terminal. And I was treated to a late night snack of homemade pecan pie and fresh whipped cream. As a matter of fact, I'd say it was the prefect holdover before a late night dinner with Catherine at Arturo's.
We took the M train straight to West 4th Street and walked to the corner of Houston St and Thompson St. The tiny restaurant and bar area was packed with people waiting for a table. We only waited about 25 minutes and in the meantime, we listened to a three-piece jazz band playing as well as watching the Knicks take down the Wizards on the TV placed high in the corner of the bar.
For our pizza, we ordered the sausage and fresh mozzarella on one side with our usual fave, bacon and roasted peppers on the other side. I've written so much about their pizzas, that there's really no need anymore. Just that it came out perfect as always. I enjoyed a glass of Merlot while she sipped on a Pinot Grigio.
I had no problem wiping out my four slices. but much to my amazement, she had to stop after finishing her third slice. So we had to go home with a slice of sausage and mozzarella that I tucked inside my jacket pocket.
As we left, we saw this guy outside lugging a big black hard shell case. He tried to get our attention and urged us to donate to the Marijuana foundation, whatever the hell that meant. Catherine seemd to find it funny, but I ignored him for a minute before he turned inside a liquor store. We got home and found Catherine's Uncle Willie and her dad in the basement watching The Munsters. Once they left, we watched a little Boomer and Carton before saying a long good night.
We planned to wake up at 7 and leave around 7:45. By the time Catherine opened the basement door to wake me up, it was already 7:30. Thankfully, I had already loaded my backpack up and was ready to take off after a quick shower. Ellen drove us to Penn Station, but first she dropped us off at the local Middle Village bagel joint. I ordered a sandwich of egg whites, American cheese, and sausage on a marble rye bagel along with a bottle of Tropicana. Catherine got egg whites and bacon on a roll...I definitely think I made the better choice.
The ride from Queens only took about a half hour total as we drove through the Midtown Tunnel. We then took the Amtrak to New Haven, CT. The conductor was a little weird, he kept asking people over the loudspeaker to eat some bananas from the club car, that became kind of a running gag throughout the weekend. Always looking for bananas.
From New Haven, we transferred to the shuttle train for the 45 minute ride to Hartford. As we stepped off the train and headed out of Union Station for our walk to the Hilton, I was amazed how much colder it felt in Hartford than it had in New York. Must have been 30 degrees or so. It was the first time this winter I'd been able to see my breath. Definitely won't be the last though.
So we checked into the Hilton, which is right across Church Street from the XL Center. As a matter of fact, as one of the selling points of the hotel, we were able to use the skywalk that goes from the hotel right into the arena. We stayed in the room for two hours, listening to jazz music and napping for an hour or so...At one point, she sat up and fell backwards of the bed. She came down right on her left butt cheek and her head hit the corner of the wooden TV cabinet. I tried not to laugh, but once I realized her head was ok, I couldn't help but giggle...
At 2:15, we left for Black Eyed Sally's, a New Orleans/BBQ joint in downtown Hartford. During the five or so minute walk, I could see she was limping. I guess her head was okay, but she had banged up her ass a little bit...As we walked in, I was pleased to see there was live music going on a Saturday afternoon. There were three women and a guy in this band and they played some blues. Very cool. The walls were filled with rock and roll themed murals along with some framed pictures of famous blues and rock scenes. Just a very colorful and festive atmosphere.
For the food, we started off with an order of burnt ends. The beef came out moist, though I was hoping to taste a little more smoke flavor. The barbecue sauce was a little sweet for my taste, almost like a KC Masterpiece. I ordered a BBQ combo plate. I enjoyed their pulled pork, especially because it wasn't too shredded. I could actually eat nice sized chunks of meat, which I always appreciate with pulled pork. I came away disappointed with the brisket though. It tasted very generic, almost like a standard sliced roast beef. It definitely needed more seasoning. The red beans and rice were fine, nothing too notable out them. But the cornbread amazed me. I got two big pieces and they were so tall, I could barely get my mouth around them.
And when I applied a little shmear of honey butter, it just went to another level of perfect.
Catherine ordered a shrimp po' boy that she really liked. And she got a side of salt 'n vinegar chips that really surprised me. They were cut nice and thick, tasted crispy and yet tender at the same time. They also had a nice sprinkling of kosher salt for that extra level of flavor. Some of the best restaurant chips I've ever had. Once again, she finished half her meal and we took the rest back to the room!
The band stopped playing as we were eating and then the stereo came on. As we were leaving, I looked at the dance floor. Nothing like seeing a bunch of white fifty-somethings doing the boogie to "Brick House"...
So we walked briskly through the cold back to the Hilton. After dropping a few things off in our room, 1125, we headed down to the hotel's M&M restaurant. Emily Lauren, her sister, and their friend Lauren were sitting there having lunch. I'd been chatting with Emily for a while and it was cool to finally meet her. Amazingly, they were staying in Room 1122, right near us.
Around 4:00, Catherine and I headed back upstairs and got changed for the big game. I donned my blue Ryan McDonagh jersey for the first time. It's so true, there is simply no blue like Ranger blue. No royal, not indigo, not navy. Ranger blue. So we headed through the skywalk and into the lobby of the XL Center. We saw Meghan Colgan and I quickly gave her a big hug. Theresa Valentine was there too, who I met very briefly in April at the Rangers vs Sabres game. We got our team posters and I took a fan photo with a stick and helmet. I spent a lot of time talking with the Lauren clan, especially about music.
At 6, the doors opened and we headed straight down for warmups. I was very intrigued by the geometry of the building. The stands basically go straight up, more so than any other sports arena I've ever been in. In the rafters, I saw banners for the Whalers retired numbers, Wolf Pack titles, etc. There were even some banners for UConn basketball as well.
During the first intermission, I wanted a beer. So I went to this one stand that was selling local brews. I asked to try samples of the City Steam Dirty Daughter and the Hooker Blonde Ale. The woman at the stand got this very nervous look on her face and explained to me she wasn't supposed to do that for me. I explained I was from out of town and if I was going to pay $9 for a beer, I wanted to get something I knew i would like. I thought that was a fair explanation. She looked around very quickly and tensely, her eyes darting back and forth as she placed a plastic cup under one of the taps. She gave me a quick taste of the City Steam beer, which I didn't care for. So I asked for the Hooker for myself and a bottle of water for Catherine. She took the cup to the back and I heard her ask "Can you wash this cup out?" Seriously? Is this organization is so strapped for cash that they can't waste a single cup? Anyway, the Hooker tasted just fine.
Also at one of the merchandise tables, they were selling tons of Whalers memorabilia. One item caught my eye. It was a 94-95 schedule for $1. Keep in mind that season, the league was locked out...what a difference 17 years has made...Anyway, that schedule had 82 games that never even got played!
During the second period, they did a chuck a puck contest, which seems to be at every minor league game I go to now. Before the game, Catherine and I bought 15 foam pucks between the two of us for $10 total. Of the 15 we threw, maybe one hit the square target at center ice. Those pucks are so hard to control. $10 well wasted and I may have strained my shoulder a little bit, but hey, what can you do?
As for the game, the Whale played the Syracuse Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate. The Whale extended their lead to 3-0 lead early in the third period on goals by Christian Thomas, Blake Parlett, and Marek Hrivik. But Syracuse came back with three straight goals in 12 minutes to force overtime. With 46.7 seconds left, Mark Barberio of the Crunch scored the game-winning goal, sending the crowd home very annoyed and disappointed.
Then, I had to let the girls fulfill their autograph and picture requests. So I waited quietly for well over an hour outside in 20 degree weather. Catherine, Meghan, and Theresa spent most of their time talking about memorabilia, meeting players, and all kinds of stuff I had zero interest in. Drunks dressed as Santa stumbled by me to the local bars. Groups of loud teenagers pranced around. To say the least, I was not falling in love with this city by any stretch. I barely said a word to the girls, I mostly checked on the non-happening social media universe and memorized the shapes of the cracks in the sidewalk.
Finally, around 11, we headed back to the Hilton. Even though I had a winter hat and gloves on, my teeth were chattering, my lip was quivering, and I could barely feel my toes. I wouldn't even speak to her, I was so aggravated. But once we got back, Catherine drew some bath water. I dipped my feet in the hot water, but it didn't do the trick. Even after getting into bed, my teeth were still chattering. So I jumped in a very hot shower, which I sorely needed. Then it was bedtime.
Song lyric. "Tonight I'll take a walk across a bridge I didn't burn." Ricky Van Shelton
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