So today was Rounds 2 and 3. It started around 5:30 and by then I was in Lombard, getting ready to meet the boys at AMC to go see "Oblivion", the new Tom Cruise sci-fi flick. The Jets had the seventh pick in the second round and as the round began, I was walking around Sports Authority, checking out the running shirts, hockey gear, and exercise equipment.
I wanted the teams to pick quarterbacks and defensive players. Above all else, I wanted the RB's, WR's, and TE's left on the board. this team is so in need of weapons at the skill positions, it's scary. Jacksonville selects a safety, who is good, but no big deal, because there is no way the Jets can pick a defensive player in Round 2 after picking two defensive players in the first round. Then Tennessee makes a trade and grabs Justin Hunter, a talented wide receiver. Disappointing, but ok. Then Philly takes Zach Ertz, a Stanford tight end, and that annoyed me. This team desperately needs a starting tight end and Jeff Cumberland is not the guy. Then the Lions take a CB, fine. Cincinnati takes a running back from North Carolina who I had never heard of named Giovani Bernard. Then with one pick left, San Diego drafts the legendary Manti Te'o from Notre Dame.
So I'm figuring the Jets are likely to take Geno Smith. I didn't want a quarterback without any hint of a supporting cast, but the fact that he fell so far when he was expected to go in the top 10, maybe that will put a chip on his shoulder. Maybe it's a good thing. The guy I really wanted was Eddie Lacy, the running back from Alabama. But the Jets indeed take Geno, giving them not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but six quarterbacks on their roster! They are Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, Matt Simms, Greg McElroy, David Garrard, and of course, Tim Tebow. To say the least, two need to go before summer training camp begins.
No doubt, it's a very intriguing pick. The big question is will Mark Sanchez be on the roster in September? Earlier today, D'Brickashaw Ferguson restructured his contract, allowing the Jets to save $5 million on their salary cap. I wonder if that's to create room to absorb the hit they would have to take if Sanchez gets cut.
So then the movie began and I turned my phone off. Two hours later, I came out of this mind-bender of a film and checked the draft tracker on my phone. I see in the third round, the Jets drafted a guard from Kent State, named Brian Winters. I don't know the man, but I like what I'm reading about him.
"Solid starter." "Throws smaller ends to the ground if they let up as the whistle blows." "...steps out to attack his man quickly after the snap, latches on like he’s beginning a wrestling match." Exactly what I want. You can have the best QB in the world, but if the line cannot protect him, he's going to get annihilated.
I figured that would be it for the night. But then, I drive 45 minutes home and I make some popcorn and a soft pretzel and head to the basement. Once I'm in the basement, I turned the Knicks playoff game on the TV and I checked the Jets website. Then, I see the Jets acquired Smith, Winters, and Ivory. This had been rumored about for a week or two, but Idzik has pulled the trigger and made the move to acquire Chris Ivory, the 25-year-old running back from New Orleans. I am ecstatic over this trade. He has shown flashes of excellence throughout his career, but was simply a victim of the numbers game in New Orleans who have the likes of Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, and Darren Sproles at running back. In New York, he will have a golden opportunity to prove he can be a legitimate starting running back in the NFL. I feel much better about the draft tonight than I did 24 hours ago.
So the Jets have three picks left, in the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds. It's hard to find great players there, but I would like to see them take a safety with one of them. And I think another offensive lineman would help too, they've rarely had enough depth at that position.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Draft recap-Day 1
I wasn't gonna drink tonight, but after watching the NFL draft tonight, I have reached for the Metropolitan Lager. The only way I could be any more disgusted with the Jets draft tonight if is they had picked a quarterback in the first round.
The first five picks didn't shock me with who was picked, but I didn't expect the Dolphins to trade up to the #3 spot and draft Dion Jordan, the best pass rusher in the draft. I can picture him killing the Jets quarterbacks for ten years. Hopefully, he'll lay some hard hits on Brady too.
Then things start to get interesting. For weeks leading in, I heard all the experts, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Charley Casserly, etc. say that Barkevious Mingo was going to get selected by the Jets. They all said he would be a perfect outside linebacker for Rex Ryan's system. But Cleveland grabs him at 6. I was disappointed, but there were still plenty of guys to pick from. Then at 7, Arizona takes Jonathan Cooper, one of the two guards I really liked. It was a blow, but at least Chance Warmack was still out there. At 8, they took a huge blow. Buffalo, definitely trying to screw the Jets, trades the pick to the Rams, who then draft speedy WR Tavon Austin, to keep him from going to the Jets. In the days leading up to the draft, Rex Ryan all but said he wanted Austin on this team. Well, it cost them. Because he will be burning up the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis now.
At that point, I was hoping for Warmack at 9 or even trading down. But instead, the Jets draft Dee Milliner, the oft-injured cornerback from Alabama, who apparently is the fill-in for Darrelle Revis. This guy has already had five surgeries! Five! And he's expected to open training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Oh and he's not even six feet tall. Even if he's good, the injury history is downright scary. And the Jets have a pair of starting cornerbacks in Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson. By drafting this guy, they are acknowledging that Kyle Wilson, a former No. 1 pick, is a disappointment.
And then, Chance Warmack gets drafted by Tennessee. So both offensive guards are gone and I am just feeling completely deflated. then the DJ's go. DJ Fluker to San Diego and DJ Hayden to Oakland. Those didn't bother me at all. So now, at 13, I'm hoping John Idzik will trade down a couple of slots. But as the draft clock ticked down to under two minutes, I realized that wasn't likely to happen. So both outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and tight end Tyler Eifert were available. I wanted one of these two and I would have been content with either of them. But I had a sick feeling with every quarterback still available that the Jets might go for the headline and draft Geno Smith. I wanted zero part of him. Commissioner Roger Goodell steps up to the podium. "With the 13th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the New York Jets select..." And then, as I watched his lips stretch out across his face, I knew I was gonna be heartbroken.
"Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle, Missouri." So let's recap this. This is the third straight year the Jets have taken a defensive lineman in the first round. And if you throw in Kenrick Ellis, he was a second rounder two years ago. But once again, they ignore the need for a young dynamic edge pass rusher! Why does this team never address that glaring need? Why?
So looking ahead, only one QB and no running backs have been taken. I'm fairly confident the Jets will address the offensive side of the football tomorrow. But I hope and pray they don't even think about picking a quarterback until at least the third round. This team needs a tight end, a wide receiver, at least one guard, and an offensive tackle too. And with the six picks they have left, I will be disgusted if those needs are not addressed. This offense was as bad as any Jet offense I have ever seen. We cannot go into next season with the same cast of characters, but with a different offensive coordinator. It doesn't work, as we discovered last year with Tony Sparano.
I'm not ready to call this a bust, but if I'm grading Day 1, I would give the Jets a C- and I'm being kind with that grade.
Oh and New England acquired four picks from Minnesota in exchange for their first round pick, giving them two second rounders and two third rounders tomorrow...it never ends.
The first five picks didn't shock me with who was picked, but I didn't expect the Dolphins to trade up to the #3 spot and draft Dion Jordan, the best pass rusher in the draft. I can picture him killing the Jets quarterbacks for ten years. Hopefully, he'll lay some hard hits on Brady too.
Then things start to get interesting. For weeks leading in, I heard all the experts, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Charley Casserly, etc. say that Barkevious Mingo was going to get selected by the Jets. They all said he would be a perfect outside linebacker for Rex Ryan's system. But Cleveland grabs him at 6. I was disappointed, but there were still plenty of guys to pick from. Then at 7, Arizona takes Jonathan Cooper, one of the two guards I really liked. It was a blow, but at least Chance Warmack was still out there. At 8, they took a huge blow. Buffalo, definitely trying to screw the Jets, trades the pick to the Rams, who then draft speedy WR Tavon Austin, to keep him from going to the Jets. In the days leading up to the draft, Rex Ryan all but said he wanted Austin on this team. Well, it cost them. Because he will be burning up the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis now.
At that point, I was hoping for Warmack at 9 or even trading down. But instead, the Jets draft Dee Milliner, the oft-injured cornerback from Alabama, who apparently is the fill-in for Darrelle Revis. This guy has already had five surgeries! Five! And he's expected to open training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Oh and he's not even six feet tall. Even if he's good, the injury history is downright scary. And the Jets have a pair of starting cornerbacks in Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson. By drafting this guy, they are acknowledging that Kyle Wilson, a former No. 1 pick, is a disappointment.
And then, Chance Warmack gets drafted by Tennessee. So both offensive guards are gone and I am just feeling completely deflated. then the DJ's go. DJ Fluker to San Diego and DJ Hayden to Oakland. Those didn't bother me at all. So now, at 13, I'm hoping John Idzik will trade down a couple of slots. But as the draft clock ticked down to under two minutes, I realized that wasn't likely to happen. So both outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and tight end Tyler Eifert were available. I wanted one of these two and I would have been content with either of them. But I had a sick feeling with every quarterback still available that the Jets might go for the headline and draft Geno Smith. I wanted zero part of him. Commissioner Roger Goodell steps up to the podium. "With the 13th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the New York Jets select..." And then, as I watched his lips stretch out across his face, I knew I was gonna be heartbroken.
"Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle, Missouri." So let's recap this. This is the third straight year the Jets have taken a defensive lineman in the first round. And if you throw in Kenrick Ellis, he was a second rounder two years ago. But once again, they ignore the need for a young dynamic edge pass rusher! Why does this team never address that glaring need? Why?
So looking ahead, only one QB and no running backs have been taken. I'm fairly confident the Jets will address the offensive side of the football tomorrow. But I hope and pray they don't even think about picking a quarterback until at least the third round. This team needs a tight end, a wide receiver, at least one guard, and an offensive tackle too. And with the six picks they have left, I will be disgusted if those needs are not addressed. This offense was as bad as any Jet offense I have ever seen. We cannot go into next season with the same cast of characters, but with a different offensive coordinator. It doesn't work, as we discovered last year with Tony Sparano.
I'm not ready to call this a bust, but if I'm grading Day 1, I would give the Jets a C- and I'm being kind with that grade.
Oh and New England acquired four picks from Minnesota in exchange for their first round pick, giving them two second rounders and two third rounders tomorrow...it never ends.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Jets draft preview
The next three days are among the most critical the New York Jets have had in many years. They are a rebuilding/retooling/decrepid franchise, pick whichever word you want. They have lost 11 starters from last season, not to mention the depth players they let go as well. And without much money under the salary cap to re-tool with free agency, the new GM John Idzik has to deliver on this weekend's NFL draft.
They own all their regular picks in the 7 rounds, plus Tampa Bay's pick, which they acquired last week when they traded Darrelle Revis. So in the first 3 rounds, they have numbers 9, 13, 39, and 72. As far as their needs, well, they're ok at punter, kicker, defensive end, left tackle, and center. Everything else is basically a need. I'm no avid watcher of college football, but through researching various draft gurus and bios, here's where I want to see the Jets go, at least in the first 3 rounds. And this is assuming that they don't trade one of those first two picks down to acquire more picks, which I would endorse, by the way.
9. Rex loves to run the football. And the Jets lost both their starting guards in Matt Slauson and Brandon Moore. They signed Willie Colon to play left guard, who is good, but had had problems staying healthy. So guard is a huge need and I would use this pick on either Chance Warmack or Jonathan Cooper, both regarded as legit studs. This is not a draft where the Jets can gamble on potential. They need reliable to players who can start on Week 1 against the Bucs.
13. With the loss of Revis, not to mention 3 of 4 players in the starting secondary, the Jets need to upgrade their defense. But Dee Milliner, the top CB in the draft, will likely be gone already. And truth be told, he's had five surgeries already and that scares me. So I would target a pass rusher at outside linebacker. Barkevious Mingo is a name many have connected with the Jets and I would take him, but if he's gone, then I would be thrilled with Jarvis Jones from Georgia. At the end, I would expect them to use these picks on a OLB and Tavon Austin, the speedy receiver that Mark Sanchez and this offense sorely lack. If both guards are gone by 13, then I would trade down and try to pick Tyler Eifert, the WR from Notre Dame. Tight ends are becoming a bigger part of the passing game in the NFL and with the loss of Dustin Keller, the Jets really need one who can be a playmaker. I would actually prefer Eifert over Austin, there are always good wide receivers available in the middle rounds.
39. Here's where I would go with the receiver. If he's available, I would take DeAndre Hopkins of Clemson, if he's still around. I don't think he'll make it quite that far. If he's not there, I'd go for a D.J. Swearinger, the safety from South Carolina. He can hit hard and even cover tight ends.
72. I would not go for a QB until after the second round and this pick would be the 8th in the third round. With it, I would draft Mike Glennon of NC State. He has been compared to Joe Flacco and that would work fine by me.
Bottom line: The Jets currently have 8 picks. It would help if they have 12. Thankfully, they've gained four compensatory picks because of the Revis trade, but they aren't coming until next year's draft. If they address guard, wide receiver/tight end, pass rusher, and safety with 4 of their first 6 picks, I'll say they addressed their needs pretty well. I'm pretty sure they will take a quarterback, even though I really don't think this is the right draft to take one. Andrew Luck and RG3 are not in this draft class. Maybe later, they can go with a running back or depth at the offensive line. But it's all about what they do once they can get on the field. But to John Idzik, good luck. You're gonna need it.
They own all their regular picks in the 7 rounds, plus Tampa Bay's pick, which they acquired last week when they traded Darrelle Revis. So in the first 3 rounds, they have numbers 9, 13, 39, and 72. As far as their needs, well, they're ok at punter, kicker, defensive end, left tackle, and center. Everything else is basically a need. I'm no avid watcher of college football, but through researching various draft gurus and bios, here's where I want to see the Jets go, at least in the first 3 rounds. And this is assuming that they don't trade one of those first two picks down to acquire more picks, which I would endorse, by the way.
9. Rex loves to run the football. And the Jets lost both their starting guards in Matt Slauson and Brandon Moore. They signed Willie Colon to play left guard, who is good, but had had problems staying healthy. So guard is a huge need and I would use this pick on either Chance Warmack or Jonathan Cooper, both regarded as legit studs. This is not a draft where the Jets can gamble on potential. They need reliable to players who can start on Week 1 against the Bucs.
13. With the loss of Revis, not to mention 3 of 4 players in the starting secondary, the Jets need to upgrade their defense. But Dee Milliner, the top CB in the draft, will likely be gone already. And truth be told, he's had five surgeries already and that scares me. So I would target a pass rusher at outside linebacker. Barkevious Mingo is a name many have connected with the Jets and I would take him, but if he's gone, then I would be thrilled with Jarvis Jones from Georgia. At the end, I would expect them to use these picks on a OLB and Tavon Austin, the speedy receiver that Mark Sanchez and this offense sorely lack. If both guards are gone by 13, then I would trade down and try to pick Tyler Eifert, the WR from Notre Dame. Tight ends are becoming a bigger part of the passing game in the NFL and with the loss of Dustin Keller, the Jets really need one who can be a playmaker. I would actually prefer Eifert over Austin, there are always good wide receivers available in the middle rounds.
39. Here's where I would go with the receiver. If he's available, I would take DeAndre Hopkins of Clemson, if he's still around. I don't think he'll make it quite that far. If he's not there, I'd go for a D.J. Swearinger, the safety from South Carolina. He can hit hard and even cover tight ends.
72. I would not go for a QB until after the second round and this pick would be the 8th in the third round. With it, I would draft Mike Glennon of NC State. He has been compared to Joe Flacco and that would work fine by me.
Bottom line: The Jets currently have 8 picks. It would help if they have 12. Thankfully, they've gained four compensatory picks because of the Revis trade, but they aren't coming until next year's draft. If they address guard, wide receiver/tight end, pass rusher, and safety with 4 of their first 6 picks, I'll say they addressed their needs pretty well. I'm pretty sure they will take a quarterback, even though I really don't think this is the right draft to take one. Andrew Luck and RG3 are not in this draft class. Maybe later, they can go with a running back or depth at the offensive line. But it's all about what they do once they can get on the field. But to John Idzik, good luck. You're gonna need it.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Willow Creek 5k recap
So I woke up at 6:30 and my breakfast was a honey wheat English muffin with peanut butter, two wedges of pineapple, and a half gallon of water. I dressed in a long sleeve black runner's shirt, my gray Wheaton Academy alumni 5k t-shirt, black mesh shorts, white quarter cut Adidas socks, and Brooks Brothers sneakers. Mom and I left the house around 7:15 and drove the 45 minutes to Willow Creek Church for the 2nd annual 5k.
I immediately headed over to the registration booth. I had taken care of Mom and I the previous night, but since my friend Courtney was unable to race, I went ahead and picked up her materials for her. That way, she could at least get her t-shirt, I'm excited to give it to her this weekend, she has no idea. The sky was a perfect blue with the sun shining bright, barely a cloud to be found. But with the temperature hovering around 35 degrees, I headed straight inside the church where I found other people from the Section 305 singles group.
After some catching up and warmup stretches, I put on my black winter hat, lined up in the 7-9 minute mile group and we started the race at 9 pm. I ran at a pretty fast pace and felt pretty good except for my hands being cold. I saw a marker for Mile 2, but not 1 or 3. With about a half mile to go, I really wanted to turn it up and sprint hard to the finish. But I had run had a pretty quick pace that I just didn't have a whole lot of push at the end. Nonetheless, the encouragement from the spectators helped and I kept going. I knew I could not stop. I looked up ahead and saw the clock read 23:50, though I knew was a little bit ahead of that since I started the race a little bit later. Regardless, right then, I made it my goal to cross the line before the 24:00 mark and I just made it across. I nearly collapsed, but I managed to make my way over to the snack table and wolfed down a banana, two mini bagels, two Nature Valley bars, and guzzled a bottle of water. Then I headed towards the sidelines and high-fived and encouraged hundreds of other finishers.
I caught up with my friends and I also ran into Erin Chan from my high school as well. I checked my overall time and it was 23:33.3, or 7:34 per mile, good enough for 72nd out of 2800 runners. In my division, 31-35 year old males, I came in 6th out of 78 runners. The leader in my division finished at 21:11.2, 19th overall. Maybe next year, I'll shoot for a medal, which would be in the Top 3 in my division. To do that, I'd have to trim another two minutes off my time. It would be a challenge, but maybe I actually could do it. Mom did a heck of a job. Out of 143 runners in the 55-59 female division, she came in 40th at 47:28.1, or 15:15 per mile. I was especially proud that she was able to run the last leg of the race, I never expected her to do that. Great job by her.
We left around 10:45 and went to Big Bowl for some Asian food. Shrimp pad Thai, lettuce wraps, beef and broccoli, fried rice, it was all quite good. And their homemade ginger ale actually tasted like it had ginger in it! It was a really strong drink actually, I liked it a little bit, but next time, I'd get the one with orange juice in it. And major thanks to Angel's Feet for the hour long massage! My feet especially thank you.
I immediately headed over to the registration booth. I had taken care of Mom and I the previous night, but since my friend Courtney was unable to race, I went ahead and picked up her materials for her. That way, she could at least get her t-shirt, I'm excited to give it to her this weekend, she has no idea. The sky was a perfect blue with the sun shining bright, barely a cloud to be found. But with the temperature hovering around 35 degrees, I headed straight inside the church where I found other people from the Section 305 singles group.
After some catching up and warmup stretches, I put on my black winter hat, lined up in the 7-9 minute mile group and we started the race at 9 pm. I ran at a pretty fast pace and felt pretty good except for my hands being cold. I saw a marker for Mile 2, but not 1 or 3. With about a half mile to go, I really wanted to turn it up and sprint hard to the finish. But I had run had a pretty quick pace that I just didn't have a whole lot of push at the end. Nonetheless, the encouragement from the spectators helped and I kept going. I knew I could not stop. I looked up ahead and saw the clock read 23:50, though I knew was a little bit ahead of that since I started the race a little bit later. Regardless, right then, I made it my goal to cross the line before the 24:00 mark and I just made it across. I nearly collapsed, but I managed to make my way over to the snack table and wolfed down a banana, two mini bagels, two Nature Valley bars, and guzzled a bottle of water. Then I headed towards the sidelines and high-fived and encouraged hundreds of other finishers.
I caught up with my friends and I also ran into Erin Chan from my high school as well. I checked my overall time and it was 23:33.3, or 7:34 per mile, good enough for 72nd out of 2800 runners. In my division, 31-35 year old males, I came in 6th out of 78 runners. The leader in my division finished at 21:11.2, 19th overall. Maybe next year, I'll shoot for a medal, which would be in the Top 3 in my division. To do that, I'd have to trim another two minutes off my time. It would be a challenge, but maybe I actually could do it. Mom did a heck of a job. Out of 143 runners in the 55-59 female division, she came in 40th at 47:28.1, or 15:15 per mile. I was especially proud that she was able to run the last leg of the race, I never expected her to do that. Great job by her.
We left around 10:45 and went to Big Bowl for some Asian food. Shrimp pad Thai, lettuce wraps, beef and broccoli, fried rice, it was all quite good. And their homemade ginger ale actually tasted like it had ginger in it! It was a really strong drink actually, I liked it a little bit, but next time, I'd get the one with orange juice in it. And major thanks to Angel's Feet for the hour long massage! My feet especially thank you.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Flooding in Chi-town
1) I swear, between yesterday and today, Chicago has had a foot of rainfall. I go onto Facebook this morning and at least ten of my friends have posted status updates about the flood or photos of their streets that now look like rivers. I'm amazed that I haven't had to deal with any water getting in the basement today.
2) So I visited Quaker Steak and Lube for the first time in Indiana and I thought their wings were pretty good. The issue is I wanted to try some different flavors and I had to order at least six of each wing. In the end, I ordered a bucket with 10 Thaisian (Combo of Asian sesame and Thai) and 10 Dusted Chipotle BBQ. I also got six Louisiana Lickers (Combo of Hot, Cajun, Garlic, and BBQ) and nibbled on a few of the Parmesan peppercorn as well. I like the Parmesan peppercorn, though they were a little too tame for my taste. I could probably order the LA Lickers again though, I think I'd pass on the Chipotle BBQ and Thaisan. Next time, maybe I'll go for the Buckeye BBQ, which is super hot BBQ sauce...And I appreciate fresh lemonade, though I wish I had known refills were not complimentary...
3) Turned down three job offers/training opportunities in the last week. They're all related to marketing and I'm realizing that's just not what I want to do right now. Gonna keep on searching.
4) Less than 36 hours till the 5k. I'm ready to go. I know I can do it in under 25 minutes. Maybe I can hit 22.
5) Chicago Fire soccer game and networking event Saturday night. Two firsts for me: making my own business cards and attending an MLS game.
2) So I visited Quaker Steak and Lube for the first time in Indiana and I thought their wings were pretty good. The issue is I wanted to try some different flavors and I had to order at least six of each wing. In the end, I ordered a bucket with 10 Thaisian (Combo of Asian sesame and Thai) and 10 Dusted Chipotle BBQ. I also got six Louisiana Lickers (Combo of Hot, Cajun, Garlic, and BBQ) and nibbled on a few of the Parmesan peppercorn as well. I like the Parmesan peppercorn, though they were a little too tame for my taste. I could probably order the LA Lickers again though, I think I'd pass on the Chipotle BBQ and Thaisan. Next time, maybe I'll go for the Buckeye BBQ, which is super hot BBQ sauce...And I appreciate fresh lemonade, though I wish I had known refills were not complimentary...
3) Turned down three job offers/training opportunities in the last week. They're all related to marketing and I'm realizing that's just not what I want to do right now. Gonna keep on searching.
4) Less than 36 hours till the 5k. I'm ready to go. I know I can do it in under 25 minutes. Maybe I can hit 22.
5) Chicago Fire soccer game and networking event Saturday night. Two firsts for me: making my own business cards and attending an MLS game.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Hectic Friday
5:00 AM-Woke up
5:15 AM-Drove with Mom to Rosemont, dropping her off for her week-long tour to South Carolina.
6:00 AM-Drove home
6:45 AM-Arrived home
7:00 AM-Began researching prospective companies
9:30 AM-Drove 45 minutes to Oak Brook for my first job interview of the day
10:30 AM-Interviewed with Aubrey for Chicago Storm Incorporated. We got sidetracked so many times talking about our lives. We really got along well, I hope it helps me in my quest, because I like this company.
11:15 AM-Drove to Berwyn
11:45 AM-Had lunch at Big Guys Sausage Stand, as featured on the Food Network. I had a pick 2 combo with a Maxwell St Polish, an Italian sausage, fries, and a Coke. The Maxwell was fine, but I really like the Italian. The charcoal grill just makes it and the peppers and onions were cooked perfectly too
12:00 PM Got a tweet from Willow Creek Church that more floor level tickets for the Chris Tomlin and Kari Jobe concert for that night had been released
12:15 PM-Bought $25.00 worth of produce at Jewel across the street from the sausage stand
12:30 PM-Headed north to the west side of Chicago for my second interview
1:45 PM-Interviewed at Tara Energy
2:45 PM-Drove back home to St. Charles
3:30 PM-Arrived home and bought a concert ticket
4:00 PM-Went to gym, did 40 minutes on the elliptical
4:45 PM-Made a protein smoothie with spinach, apple, lime, and banana.
5:00 PM-Jumped in the shower
5:30 PM-Left for Willow Creek
5:35 PM-Realized I left my ticket at home and drove back to get it.
6:15 PM-Arrived at church for the concert
7:00 PM-Concert
10:15 PM-Drove 15 minutes east to Westwood Tavern, where I ate an amazing banana cream pie.
12:15 AM-Drove home
1:00 AM-Walked through the front door.
And I have to be up at 6 AM to serve in the care center at church...God grant me some endurance!
5:15 AM-Drove with Mom to Rosemont, dropping her off for her week-long tour to South Carolina.
6:00 AM-Drove home
6:45 AM-Arrived home
7:00 AM-Began researching prospective companies
9:30 AM-Drove 45 minutes to Oak Brook for my first job interview of the day
10:30 AM-Interviewed with Aubrey for Chicago Storm Incorporated. We got sidetracked so many times talking about our lives. We really got along well, I hope it helps me in my quest, because I like this company.
11:15 AM-Drove to Berwyn
11:45 AM-Had lunch at Big Guys Sausage Stand, as featured on the Food Network. I had a pick 2 combo with a Maxwell St Polish, an Italian sausage, fries, and a Coke. The Maxwell was fine, but I really like the Italian. The charcoal grill just makes it and the peppers and onions were cooked perfectly too
12:00 PM Got a tweet from Willow Creek Church that more floor level tickets for the Chris Tomlin and Kari Jobe concert for that night had been released
12:15 PM-Bought $25.00 worth of produce at Jewel across the street from the sausage stand
12:30 PM-Headed north to the west side of Chicago for my second interview
1:45 PM-Interviewed at Tara Energy
2:45 PM-Drove back home to St. Charles
3:30 PM-Arrived home and bought a concert ticket
4:00 PM-Went to gym, did 40 minutes on the elliptical
4:45 PM-Made a protein smoothie with spinach, apple, lime, and banana.
5:00 PM-Jumped in the shower
5:30 PM-Left for Willow Creek
5:35 PM-Realized I left my ticket at home and drove back to get it.
6:15 PM-Arrived at church for the concert
7:00 PM-Concert
10:15 PM-Drove 15 minutes east to Westwood Tavern, where I ate an amazing banana cream pie.
12:15 AM-Drove home
1:00 AM-Walked through the front door.
And I have to be up at 6 AM to serve in the care center at church...God grant me some endurance!
East Coast-Day 5-WWE and baseball
We woke up around 5 AM and took a 6:30 train two stops to Secaucus. It cost me...once again, $12.50. From Secaucus Junction, we took a bus over to the IZOD for WWE Axxess.
We stood outside in 30 degree weather for maybe 30 minutes while waiting to enter the arena. I figured the best idea was to go for autographs and I went straight to the Daniel Bryan line. The way they did it was they sat us all in various sections throughout the arena. Daniel Bryan had one section, Paul Heyman had another, Vickie Guerrero, Damien Sandow, JTG, and Matt Stryker all had theirs as well. I hd no idea that Damien Sandow was going to be signing. If I had, I would have definitely wanted to meet him. I find his intellectual character so entertaining, it's one of the absolute best in pro wrestling today.
Well, we didn't exactly get the luckiest seats to sit in. There was a big black curtain used for the entry way and that blocked our view of over half the ring. The Miz came to the ring for a Q&A which I could have done without. Had his fiancé showed up, well, then that would have peaked my interest.
We waited a full hour for the autograph signing to begin, and during tha titme several matches went on. One of them was a tag team match that had El Generico and Pac teaming up. Even though Generico is now known as Sammi Zane, and he no longer wears that mask, that didn't stop hundreds of people from chanting "Ole!" I'll miss chanting that at every ring of Honor show. And Brodie Lee was one of their opponents, that was cool too. After an hour of waiting, I got Bryan to sign my DVD cover and I had my picture taken with him. Such a thrill for me, to me, as much as I respect CM Punk, Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson really is the best wrestler in the world.
Some of the WWE personalities signing autographs during our session included Jim Ross, Diamond Dallas Page, Lita, Tamina, Rosa Mendes, Pat Patterson, and Billy Gunn. I also saw a lot of great memorabilia including the WWE title from 1962, Andre the Giant's ENORMOUS sneakers, and ring gear worn at WrestleManias by both Triple H and the Undertaker. We were about to leave when I saw that US Champ and former ROH star Antonio Cesaro/Claudio Castagnoli was signing. Sure the lines for almost every autograph were long, but I knew I had to least get his sig. Indeed I did get it. The Swiss superstar saw my Rangers T-shirt and told me he was more of an Islanders fan. I asked why and he said he was a Mark Streit fan. I couldn't blame him for that! Within an hour, my twitter blew up as I found out WWE Magazine selected my photo to get tweeted to the entire world. They have 224,000 and who knows how many of them saw me posing with Antonio Cesaro. That is such an exciting, humbling, and cool thing to think about! I can't help but smile!
We had to head out to NYC for the Mets game. We took the bus back to Secaucus and took the NJ transit one stop to Penn Station before taking the LIRR to CitiField. We collected our calendars and I headed down the field concourse towards the left field corner. I checked out a few souvenir shops, but nothing really suited my interests/budget. For food, I had the Mex burger. It's a 6 oz Brooklyn burger with Monterrey and jack cheeses, bacon, guacamole, chipotle aioli, and jalapenos on a sesame roll with Wise potato chips and a cherry Tootsie pop. For $11.50, that's not a bad buy for a ballpark. The burger was juicy and I loved the combination of toppings. The only the burger could have been better is if they had warned the roll up first. I would definitely consider ordering this again.
We sat in the left field stands and thankfully, we sat in the sun. I was even more thankful for the Mets winning the game over Miami 7-3. John Buck had 4 RBI and David Wright added three hits for the good guys. After the game, we took the LIRR back to Penn Station and walked over to Molly Wee for some grub. The prices were much higher than we anticipated and that was with Dad getting soup, CI just getting a salad, and me getting a salad and chicken fingers.
We had some spare time so we headed to the Irish Times, a bar aross the street from Madison Square Garden where CI was planning to watch the Rangers vs. Hurricanes game with some other ladies who are also Rangers fans. I finally got to meet Amy Ernano after three years of waiting. I saw Helen, Emily, and Eve again and I also met Trish as well. Unfortunately, I left before my Family Feud pal Laurel arrived. I was told twice by the owner, not asked politely, but told, to move because I was blocking the entrance to the bathroom. I was standing on the corner of the wall, but I was never standing in the hallway, I knew better than that. Then after standing for about a half hour, I decided to leave. So I walked over to my father and we began discussing which trains we'd take back to NJ that night. Within 20 seconds, the owner storms over and yells at us, telling us we have to move out of the way now. I wasn't even standing close to the hallway and the owner had the gall to yell at me in front of my friends and family. I told him I was walking out on the spot. He said "Good. Go." And I did just that. What a classy guy. Until he's gone, there isn't a chance I will ever step foot in that restaurant ever again.
Actually, the owner's rudeness turned out to work pretty well in our favor. We stepped outside and right across the street, buses were dropping WWE wrestlers, legends, and their families off at the Garden for the Hall of Fame ceremony. I saw the Iron Sheik, Mark Henry, Miz and Maryse, and the Big Show. Show was funny. I look towards him and I see a sea of people and cameras and then there's one big bald head above all of them. Around 7, we went inside. We weren't planning to eat, but we passed a stand and saw hot dogs for $6.00 or foot long hot dogs for $6.50. That's a no-brainer. Fifty cents for twice the dog!
Our seats were in Section 210, which would be near center ice/court. We watched Mick Foley, Trish Stratus, Booker T, Bob Backlund, Donald Trump, and Bruno Sammartino all get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. After the great Terry Funk did the induction speech, Mick spoke for about 50 minutes and was incredibly funny, as I figured he'd be. Trish was okay, although I had fun booing her husband along with 10,000 other men. Booker was tremendous. His brother and former tag team partner Stevie Ray told great stories of them growing up and Booker topped it off with a spin-a-roonie. Maria Menounos inducted Bob Backlund and it was a nightmare. I still have no idea what Backlund was talking about. Trump was booed vociferously, but he handled it well, and kept his speech short. Arnold Schwarzenegger was hysterical as he inducted Bruno. I was proud to see Sammartino get inducted, albeit 20 years later than he should have. I left the speech a few minutes early to go see CI and say goodbye.
Then I took the 12:38 am train from Penn Station back to Newark, where I grabbed three hours sleep before heading back to Newark Airport the next next morning where I caught an 8 am flight back to Chicago, landed at 9:30, went to the grocery store, Wal-Mart for a new car cell phone charger, home to unpack, and shower, Fil's house in Streamwood for our small group party, downtown for a WrestleMania party with my friends at The Squared Circle, only to leave at 10 pm for an hour drive back home.
We stood outside in 30 degree weather for maybe 30 minutes while waiting to enter the arena. I figured the best idea was to go for autographs and I went straight to the Daniel Bryan line. The way they did it was they sat us all in various sections throughout the arena. Daniel Bryan had one section, Paul Heyman had another, Vickie Guerrero, Damien Sandow, JTG, and Matt Stryker all had theirs as well. I hd no idea that Damien Sandow was going to be signing. If I had, I would have definitely wanted to meet him. I find his intellectual character so entertaining, it's one of the absolute best in pro wrestling today.
Well, we didn't exactly get the luckiest seats to sit in. There was a big black curtain used for the entry way and that blocked our view of over half the ring. The Miz came to the ring for a Q&A which I could have done without. Had his fiancé showed up, well, then that would have peaked my interest.
We waited a full hour for the autograph signing to begin, and during tha titme several matches went on. One of them was a tag team match that had El Generico and Pac teaming up. Even though Generico is now known as Sammi Zane, and he no longer wears that mask, that didn't stop hundreds of people from chanting "Ole!" I'll miss chanting that at every ring of Honor show. And Brodie Lee was one of their opponents, that was cool too. After an hour of waiting, I got Bryan to sign my DVD cover and I had my picture taken with him. Such a thrill for me, to me, as much as I respect CM Punk, Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson really is the best wrestler in the world.
Some of the WWE personalities signing autographs during our session included Jim Ross, Diamond Dallas Page, Lita, Tamina, Rosa Mendes, Pat Patterson, and Billy Gunn. I also saw a lot of great memorabilia including the WWE title from 1962, Andre the Giant's ENORMOUS sneakers, and ring gear worn at WrestleManias by both Triple H and the Undertaker. We were about to leave when I saw that US Champ and former ROH star Antonio Cesaro/Claudio Castagnoli was signing. Sure the lines for almost every autograph were long, but I knew I had to least get his sig. Indeed I did get it. The Swiss superstar saw my Rangers T-shirt and told me he was more of an Islanders fan. I asked why and he said he was a Mark Streit fan. I couldn't blame him for that! Within an hour, my twitter blew up as I found out WWE Magazine selected my photo to get tweeted to the entire world. They have 224,000 and who knows how many of them saw me posing with Antonio Cesaro. That is such an exciting, humbling, and cool thing to think about! I can't help but smile!
We had to head out to NYC for the Mets game. We took the bus back to Secaucus and took the NJ transit one stop to Penn Station before taking the LIRR to CitiField. We collected our calendars and I headed down the field concourse towards the left field corner. I checked out a few souvenir shops, but nothing really suited my interests/budget. For food, I had the Mex burger. It's a 6 oz Brooklyn burger with Monterrey and jack cheeses, bacon, guacamole, chipotle aioli, and jalapenos on a sesame roll with Wise potato chips and a cherry Tootsie pop. For $11.50, that's not a bad buy for a ballpark. The burger was juicy and I loved the combination of toppings. The only the burger could have been better is if they had warned the roll up first. I would definitely consider ordering this again.
We sat in the left field stands and thankfully, we sat in the sun. I was even more thankful for the Mets winning the game over Miami 7-3. John Buck had 4 RBI and David Wright added three hits for the good guys. After the game, we took the LIRR back to Penn Station and walked over to Molly Wee for some grub. The prices were much higher than we anticipated and that was with Dad getting soup, CI just getting a salad, and me getting a salad and chicken fingers.
We had some spare time so we headed to the Irish Times, a bar aross the street from Madison Square Garden where CI was planning to watch the Rangers vs. Hurricanes game with some other ladies who are also Rangers fans. I finally got to meet Amy Ernano after three years of waiting. I saw Helen, Emily, and Eve again and I also met Trish as well. Unfortunately, I left before my Family Feud pal Laurel arrived. I was told twice by the owner, not asked politely, but told, to move because I was blocking the entrance to the bathroom. I was standing on the corner of the wall, but I was never standing in the hallway, I knew better than that. Then after standing for about a half hour, I decided to leave. So I walked over to my father and we began discussing which trains we'd take back to NJ that night. Within 20 seconds, the owner storms over and yells at us, telling us we have to move out of the way now. I wasn't even standing close to the hallway and the owner had the gall to yell at me in front of my friends and family. I told him I was walking out on the spot. He said "Good. Go." And I did just that. What a classy guy. Until he's gone, there isn't a chance I will ever step foot in that restaurant ever again.
Actually, the owner's rudeness turned out to work pretty well in our favor. We stepped outside and right across the street, buses were dropping WWE wrestlers, legends, and their families off at the Garden for the Hall of Fame ceremony. I saw the Iron Sheik, Mark Henry, Miz and Maryse, and the Big Show. Show was funny. I look towards him and I see a sea of people and cameras and then there's one big bald head above all of them. Around 7, we went inside. We weren't planning to eat, but we passed a stand and saw hot dogs for $6.00 or foot long hot dogs for $6.50. That's a no-brainer. Fifty cents for twice the dog!
Our seats were in Section 210, which would be near center ice/court. We watched Mick Foley, Trish Stratus, Booker T, Bob Backlund, Donald Trump, and Bruno Sammartino all get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. After the great Terry Funk did the induction speech, Mick spoke for about 50 minutes and was incredibly funny, as I figured he'd be. Trish was okay, although I had fun booing her husband along with 10,000 other men. Booker was tremendous. His brother and former tag team partner Stevie Ray told great stories of them growing up and Booker topped it off with a spin-a-roonie. Maria Menounos inducted Bob Backlund and it was a nightmare. I still have no idea what Backlund was talking about. Trump was booed vociferously, but he handled it well, and kept his speech short. Arnold Schwarzenegger was hysterical as he inducted Bruno. I was proud to see Sammartino get inducted, albeit 20 years later than he should have. I left the speech a few minutes early to go see CI and say goodbye.
Then I took the 12:38 am train from Penn Station back to Newark, where I grabbed three hours sleep before heading back to Newark Airport the next next morning where I caught an 8 am flight back to Chicago, landed at 9:30, went to the grocery store, Wal-Mart for a new car cell phone charger, home to unpack, and shower, Fil's house in Streamwood for our small group party, downtown for a WrestleMania party with my friends at The Squared Circle, only to leave at 10 pm for an hour drive back home.
Friday, April 12, 2013
East Coast-Day 4-Brooklyn and Manhattan
We left the house at 9. On the train, I tried to choke down a piece of pizza rustica, which is an Italian bread eaten on Easter. It has cheese and meats inside, and after sitting in their fridge for a week, it tasted absolutely disgusting. CI got off at Essex St to catch the F Train to get to her school in Brooklyn Heights while I continued on the M to W 4th St, where I caught the 2 train and took it three stops to 34th St/Herald Square. then I took the NJ Transit to Newark Airport station. Of course, it cost me $12.50 just because I was accessing the airport station. It would be the one good time for me to be a senior, because then it would only cost me around six bucks.
So I took the Air Train to the P4 stop, where is not only a parking lot, it's also where the hotel shuttles all arrive. After a little too much waiting, I got my shuttle to the Newark Airport Marriott and checked my father and I in. It's one of those fancy hotels where you have to enter your room key just to operate the elevator. We had Room 338 and it was a nice double room, though I had to coerce the maid for some extra soap. It was cool having NHL Network on the TV too.
After unpacking, we headed back into the city and met CI at school around 1:30. We walked a few blocks and headed underground to the New York Transit Museum. Dad and I had never been there before and we really enjoyed it. It has old school tokens, turnstiles, and train cars that are 100 years old. Seeing the ceiling fans, the exposed light bulbs, the different styles of seats, the wooden cars, it all struck me how much it's evolved and improved. They had a really nice gift shop too. Jigsaw puzzles, toy train cars, tote bags, T-shirts, pens, even boxer shorts! I took a luggage tag that resembled a Times Square station sign, with all of the lines that go through it.
After heading back up to the street, we checked out Modell's Sporting Goods, but nothing really caught our eye that was worth buying. I was pretty amazed that half the store seemed to be Brooklyn Nets gear. After 20 minutes of fruitless searching, we took the F Train back uptown from Brooklyn and she left us midway through to head home to Queens. We continued onto 23rd St, and we had Dad's birthday meal at Ben & Jack's on 5th Avenue. I didn't think there was any way we were going to order anything but the Steak for 2. But we arrived at 3:30, so we could still order from the lunch menu. We wound up getting sandwiches, he ordered the prime rib, I opted for the sirloin. The sandwich was really good, but felt a bit unsatisfying, probably just because I expected to eat something else. But it saved us $45 and included a side dish, so I guess it was worth it. the fries and onion rings were both delicious, fresh and crispy. I enjoyed the creamed spinach, which barely had a taste of cream to it, yet was still very enjoyable. Needed a little salt and pepper, but it was a good vegetable. And of course, their thick cut bacon. Almost an inch thick and broiled in their oven. Dipping that in their horseradish steak sauce, it's just an amazing taste. The only sad part is we were too full to enjoy any dessert. I wasn't overly stuffed, and I wanted some pecan pie or key lime pie with their homemade schlag (whipped cream), but I knew any more would start to make me uncomfortable. I figured I'd better quit while I was ahead. Oh and I was happy to enjoy a glass of Greg Norman Shiraz. 15 bucks, but it was worth it!
So then we walked up Broadway and then west on 34th St. to the Manhattan Center for Ring of Honor. We arrived around 5:15 and the line was already out the door to get in the building. the doors opened around 5:30, because there was a huge autograph signing downstairs. Dad and I immediately climbed four flights of stairs to the second balcony to grab two seats in GA. We wound up getting the second row straight away from the ring, which was an awesome spot. I went back down and I saw Nigel McGuinness at the merch table signing his DVD, which I supported and I made sure to go up, shake his hand, and say thank you for his great career in the ring and also for making the documentary himself. Then I headed to the basement of the arena where the signing was taking place. I was happy that Cary Silkin and Joe Koff both recognized me, even without my Jets jersey or my friends around. I purchased two autograph tickets, one for each of the American Wolves, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. Little did I know that Daizee Haze would be the one giving me the tickets. She hasn't been seen in Ring of Honor in so long, and I wanted to talk to her so much. But of course, there was a large muscular guy standing right behind her with the word "Security" stamped on his black t-shirt. I can take a hint...I moved on. Eddie and Davey both signed my DVD covers and I went back upstairs. Before the show began, I bought Dad and myself a couple sodas. Now usually, I go to the Frontier Fieldhouse, in the Chicago suburbs. So I would expect prices to be a little higher in midtown Manhattan. But I didn't expect to spend $6.00 per soda, four times as much as in Chicago Ridge! Or I could have spent $12.00 for a Long Island...
The scariest moment was during intermission when Dad and I headed upstairs to the men's room. Dad stepped through the curtain and didn't see the stair he had to step down on and fell face first on the carpet towards the stairs. I could only scream "Dad!" as I watched him go down to the ground and nearly tumble down an entire flight of stairs. It was just a terrifying moment. I along with another guy helped him back up to his feet. He said he was okay and told me to go on. Reluctantly, I walked down and met up with Jimmy, a friend of mine I had met once before. It was his first time at an ROH show and I was glad he was having such a great time. After talking with him for a few minutes, I went back up. Dad's wrist was bothering him quite a bit and his hip was a little banged up, but other than that, he said he felt okay. Thank God, because it could have been a lot worse.
Supercard of Honor was a great show, not quite as great as the 11th Anniversary, but close to it. RD Evans endless, yet creative, monologue where he announced himself as QT Marshall's mystery partner even had my dad cursing at him! Brendell, aka Cheeseburger, made an appearance and verbally ripped Maria Kanellis that made my jaw drop. Michael Elgin defeated Jay Lethal in a No. 1 Contenders match that had an amazing finishing sequence. The Wolves and red Dragon had a phenomenal match for the tag team titles. But the most memorable moment was easily Jay Briscoe shocking Kevin Steen to win the ROH world title. This guy has been in ROH since the day it was founded in 2002. And he became the champion of the world in front of a sold out Hammerstein Ballroom. I was nearly in tears as we all sang "Gimme Back My Bullets." Although Dad had not been to an ROH show in four years, he loved it too. He was doing a lot of applauding and he doesn't do that so easily.
With no voice left to speak of, we headed right back on the train to Newark to catch a little sleep. But we got even less sleep than we planned on because I wound up playing some Boomer and Carton clips and kept Dad up till maybe 2 am.
So I took the Air Train to the P4 stop, where is not only a parking lot, it's also where the hotel shuttles all arrive. After a little too much waiting, I got my shuttle to the Newark Airport Marriott and checked my father and I in. It's one of those fancy hotels where you have to enter your room key just to operate the elevator. We had Room 338 and it was a nice double room, though I had to coerce the maid for some extra soap. It was cool having NHL Network on the TV too.
After unpacking, we headed back into the city and met CI at school around 1:30. We walked a few blocks and headed underground to the New York Transit Museum. Dad and I had never been there before and we really enjoyed it. It has old school tokens, turnstiles, and train cars that are 100 years old. Seeing the ceiling fans, the exposed light bulbs, the different styles of seats, the wooden cars, it all struck me how much it's evolved and improved. They had a really nice gift shop too. Jigsaw puzzles, toy train cars, tote bags, T-shirts, pens, even boxer shorts! I took a luggage tag that resembled a Times Square station sign, with all of the lines that go through it.
After heading back up to the street, we checked out Modell's Sporting Goods, but nothing really caught our eye that was worth buying. I was pretty amazed that half the store seemed to be Brooklyn Nets gear. After 20 minutes of fruitless searching, we took the F Train back uptown from Brooklyn and she left us midway through to head home to Queens. We continued onto 23rd St, and we had Dad's birthday meal at Ben & Jack's on 5th Avenue. I didn't think there was any way we were going to order anything but the Steak for 2. But we arrived at 3:30, so we could still order from the lunch menu. We wound up getting sandwiches, he ordered the prime rib, I opted for the sirloin. The sandwich was really good, but felt a bit unsatisfying, probably just because I expected to eat something else. But it saved us $45 and included a side dish, so I guess it was worth it. the fries and onion rings were both delicious, fresh and crispy. I enjoyed the creamed spinach, which barely had a taste of cream to it, yet was still very enjoyable. Needed a little salt and pepper, but it was a good vegetable. And of course, their thick cut bacon. Almost an inch thick and broiled in their oven. Dipping that in their horseradish steak sauce, it's just an amazing taste. The only sad part is we were too full to enjoy any dessert. I wasn't overly stuffed, and I wanted some pecan pie or key lime pie with their homemade schlag (whipped cream), but I knew any more would start to make me uncomfortable. I figured I'd better quit while I was ahead. Oh and I was happy to enjoy a glass of Greg Norman Shiraz. 15 bucks, but it was worth it!
So then we walked up Broadway and then west on 34th St. to the Manhattan Center for Ring of Honor. We arrived around 5:15 and the line was already out the door to get in the building. the doors opened around 5:30, because there was a huge autograph signing downstairs. Dad and I immediately climbed four flights of stairs to the second balcony to grab two seats in GA. We wound up getting the second row straight away from the ring, which was an awesome spot. I went back down and I saw Nigel McGuinness at the merch table signing his DVD, which I supported and I made sure to go up, shake his hand, and say thank you for his great career in the ring and also for making the documentary himself. Then I headed to the basement of the arena where the signing was taking place. I was happy that Cary Silkin and Joe Koff both recognized me, even without my Jets jersey or my friends around. I purchased two autograph tickets, one for each of the American Wolves, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. Little did I know that Daizee Haze would be the one giving me the tickets. She hasn't been seen in Ring of Honor in so long, and I wanted to talk to her so much. But of course, there was a large muscular guy standing right behind her with the word "Security" stamped on his black t-shirt. I can take a hint...I moved on. Eddie and Davey both signed my DVD covers and I went back upstairs. Before the show began, I bought Dad and myself a couple sodas. Now usually, I go to the Frontier Fieldhouse, in the Chicago suburbs. So I would expect prices to be a little higher in midtown Manhattan. But I didn't expect to spend $6.00 per soda, four times as much as in Chicago Ridge! Or I could have spent $12.00 for a Long Island...
The scariest moment was during intermission when Dad and I headed upstairs to the men's room. Dad stepped through the curtain and didn't see the stair he had to step down on and fell face first on the carpet towards the stairs. I could only scream "Dad!" as I watched him go down to the ground and nearly tumble down an entire flight of stairs. It was just a terrifying moment. I along with another guy helped him back up to his feet. He said he was okay and told me to go on. Reluctantly, I walked down and met up with Jimmy, a friend of mine I had met once before. It was his first time at an ROH show and I was glad he was having such a great time. After talking with him for a few minutes, I went back up. Dad's wrist was bothering him quite a bit and his hip was a little banged up, but other than that, he said he felt okay. Thank God, because it could have been a lot worse.
Supercard of Honor was a great show, not quite as great as the 11th Anniversary, but close to it. RD Evans endless, yet creative, monologue where he announced himself as QT Marshall's mystery partner even had my dad cursing at him! Brendell, aka Cheeseburger, made an appearance and verbally ripped Maria Kanellis that made my jaw drop. Michael Elgin defeated Jay Lethal in a No. 1 Contenders match that had an amazing finishing sequence. The Wolves and red Dragon had a phenomenal match for the tag team titles. But the most memorable moment was easily Jay Briscoe shocking Kevin Steen to win the ROH world title. This guy has been in ROH since the day it was founded in 2002. And he became the champion of the world in front of a sold out Hammerstein Ballroom. I was nearly in tears as we all sang "Gimme Back My Bullets." Although Dad had not been to an ROH show in four years, he loved it too. He was doing a lot of applauding and he doesn't do that so easily.
With no voice left to speak of, we headed right back on the train to Newark to catch a little sleep. But we got even less sleep than we planned on because I wound up playing some Boomer and Carton clips and kept Dad up till maybe 2 am.
East Coast-Day 3-To Queens
I think I slept a grand total of two hours thanks to a certain relative's snoring...I got out of bed around 5:45 and did 15 minutes on the elliptical, followed by eating two inedible cheese omelets and a couple pieces of wheat toast with peanut butter and fruit.
I headed upstairs around 6:30 to get ready. I used my new straight razors and shaving foam since I felt I was looking like a grizzly bear, even after one day without my Phillips. I guess that gash near my Adams apple still hasn't totally healed yet. All I had to do was touch the razor to the area, and blood slowly started to ooze down from my throat. A shower and a few minutes of towel pressure took care of that.
Then Mom drove me to the New London train station, she was heading up to Hartford to fly home later that morning. Downtown New London really looked desolate and dull, I never remembered it looking that way in all the years I had been visiting there. The Amtrak train left 15 minutes late, but I still arrived at Penn Station in Manhattan around 10:15, right on time. I really enjoy the train ride since it goes right down the coastline. For $34, not too bad a ride.
I took the 1 train downtown to 14th Street when I realized I got on the right train, but going the right direction. Yeah, that was pretty brutal. I guess I never noticed which stairway said Uptown and which said Downtown. Then I took the 2 back up to Times Square, where I caught the Queens-bound 7 train. I got off at 69th Street and dropped my luggage off with a friend before getting back on the subway to head to Citi Field. I stepped off the train and saw the classic Home Run apple and Jackie Robinson Rotunda. It may not be the best stadium in baseball, but in sports terms, it's my home. It's that simple. I had a little time before my friend Maria arrived so I took some time to run around the old Shea Stadium bases in the parking lot. I know I'm in my 30's, but it's still kind of cool to imagine I'm Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, or Jose Reyes flying around those bags.
Maria arrived at noon and we gave each other a big hug; it was our first meeting. Much to my amazement, she got me a gift: New York Rangers sport utility gloves. I was really surprised and appreciative. She also bought water bottles for us to take into the park. Unfortunately, she had just pulled them out of her freezer and they were still ice, not liquid. Since they were ice, the security staff did not let us bring them in and she was pissed over it! I reminded her it was only a couple of bucks worth and it was okay. Took her a few minutes to calm down though.
The cold wasn't fun, but we were lucky enough to be sitting in the sun; that made it much more tolerable. All I ate was a Premio sausage sandwich that got cold almost immediately! I drank a Brick iced tea and I learned that Brisk is the only tea that's never seen a tea leaf. The game was a total snoozefest for 3 hours and 10 minutes until John Buck's solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. But the Mets were unable to get any more runners on base and they fell to the Padres 2-1.
We took the 7 train back, Maria got off at Woodside, and we said our goodbyes. I headed into Port Authority with CI and we grabbed a bite at the Heartland Brewery. As we walked past the crowded bar to the much more open dining room, I noticed the beer memorabilia on the wall, which pretty much spelled out what this place was all about. I ordered a pint of Red Rooster ale, which our waiter said tasted similar to a Bass or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I'm a big fan of Bass and with the cold temperatures outside, I thought I'd go for something a little darker than what I normally drink. It was darker than those other beers and had a bitter taste, which I didn't especially like. I also tried a taste of the Cornhusker lager, but it was just too light for my taste. So I can't say I was in love with the local brews.
For a starter, we went with the BBQ spice rub shrimp. I likes that it came with some fresh guacamole along with a salsa wit poblano peppers and lime. It had some heat to it, but it wasn't overwhelming. Good opener.
I ordered the bison burger and I love that it came on a Martin's potato roll, maybe the best bun for a burger in the world. which is always a good sign. The bison was juicy, it wasn't a huge sized burger though. It cost me $2.50 to add American cheese and sautéed onions which were great additions, but what made the burger outstanding was the side of chipotle BBQ sauce. I put some of that on the burger and used the rest of it to dip my fresh cut fries in. This was an excellent smoky and spicy BBQ sauce. I also sampled the fish and chips and although the fish's coating was crunchy, I felt the fish was not moist and a little bit overdone.
I headed upstairs around 6:30 to get ready. I used my new straight razors and shaving foam since I felt I was looking like a grizzly bear, even after one day without my Phillips. I guess that gash near my Adams apple still hasn't totally healed yet. All I had to do was touch the razor to the area, and blood slowly started to ooze down from my throat. A shower and a few minutes of towel pressure took care of that.
Then Mom drove me to the New London train station, she was heading up to Hartford to fly home later that morning. Downtown New London really looked desolate and dull, I never remembered it looking that way in all the years I had been visiting there. The Amtrak train left 15 minutes late, but I still arrived at Penn Station in Manhattan around 10:15, right on time. I really enjoy the train ride since it goes right down the coastline. For $34, not too bad a ride.
I took the 1 train downtown to 14th Street when I realized I got on the right train, but going the right direction. Yeah, that was pretty brutal. I guess I never noticed which stairway said Uptown and which said Downtown. Then I took the 2 back up to Times Square, where I caught the Queens-bound 7 train. I got off at 69th Street and dropped my luggage off with a friend before getting back on the subway to head to Citi Field. I stepped off the train and saw the classic Home Run apple and Jackie Robinson Rotunda. It may not be the best stadium in baseball, but in sports terms, it's my home. It's that simple. I had a little time before my friend Maria arrived so I took some time to run around the old Shea Stadium bases in the parking lot. I know I'm in my 30's, but it's still kind of cool to imagine I'm Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, or Jose Reyes flying around those bags.
Maria arrived at noon and we gave each other a big hug; it was our first meeting. Much to my amazement, she got me a gift: New York Rangers sport utility gloves. I was really surprised and appreciative. She also bought water bottles for us to take into the park. Unfortunately, she had just pulled them out of her freezer and they were still ice, not liquid. Since they were ice, the security staff did not let us bring them in and she was pissed over it! I reminded her it was only a couple of bucks worth and it was okay. Took her a few minutes to calm down though.
The cold wasn't fun, but we were lucky enough to be sitting in the sun; that made it much more tolerable. All I ate was a Premio sausage sandwich that got cold almost immediately! I drank a Brick iced tea and I learned that Brisk is the only tea that's never seen a tea leaf. The game was a total snoozefest for 3 hours and 10 minutes until John Buck's solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. But the Mets were unable to get any more runners on base and they fell to the Padres 2-1.
We took the 7 train back, Maria got off at Woodside, and we said our goodbyes. I headed into Port Authority with CI and we grabbed a bite at the Heartland Brewery. As we walked past the crowded bar to the much more open dining room, I noticed the beer memorabilia on the wall, which pretty much spelled out what this place was all about. I ordered a pint of Red Rooster ale, which our waiter said tasted similar to a Bass or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I'm a big fan of Bass and with the cold temperatures outside, I thought I'd go for something a little darker than what I normally drink. It was darker than those other beers and had a bitter taste, which I didn't especially like. I also tried a taste of the Cornhusker lager, but it was just too light for my taste. So I can't say I was in love with the local brews.
For a starter, we went with the BBQ spice rub shrimp. I likes that it came with some fresh guacamole along with a salsa wit poblano peppers and lime. It had some heat to it, but it wasn't overwhelming. Good opener.
I ordered the bison burger and I love that it came on a Martin's potato roll, maybe the best bun for a burger in the world. which is always a good sign. The bison was juicy, it wasn't a huge sized burger though. It cost me $2.50 to add American cheese and sautéed onions which were great additions, but what made the burger outstanding was the side of chipotle BBQ sauce. I put some of that on the burger and used the rest of it to dip my fresh cut fries in. This was an excellent smoky and spicy BBQ sauce. I also sampled the fish and chips and although the fish's coating was crunchy, I felt the fish was not moist and a little bit overdone.
I mentioned I had a surprise for dessert. I insisted the B train was the best way to go to where we needed to: the upper west side near the tip of Central Park. She didn't seem to believe me, but it was only seven stops form Port Authority, so I guess I got that one right. We got off at 102nd St and walked three blocks northwest to a place I had seen on Bacon Paradise 2 on the Travel Channel. Yes, I mentioned dessert earlier. And I just mentioned bacon two sentences ago.
To the manager: if the Baconery starts franchising, I will run the Chicago location! I got to visit this past weekend and I had a ball. I love the bacon-themed decorations on the wall, especially "The Rules of Bacon." The staff is engaging, smart, and they know their products well.
Oh, there's the food. I'll put it this way, I don't even eat chocolate and I was blown away by this place! We were offered a taste of a bacon-marshmallow bar, kind of like a Rice Krispie treat with bacon in it. Excellent! I bought my dad a bacon-chocolate pretzel rod and when I gave it to him the next day, he started making plans to visit the Baconery. She had a bacon hot chocolate, chocolate bacon peanut butter cookies, chocolate-covered bacon etc. Suffice to say, I think I've created a monster by taking her here!
As for me, the bacon pecan pie is one of the best desserts I have ever had. Perfect individual size, flaky crust, large pecans, the crispiness of the bacon, the richness of the syrup. Forget cake, this is all I would ever want for my birthday! The oatmeal cranberry bacon cookie was fine, really sugary, but I like the sweetness of the cranberries along with the bacon. A place that is unique, fun, creative, and just makes you feel good. It's just one of a kind! Only request...regular milk needs to be on the menu!
Oh, there's the food. I'll put it this way, I don't even eat chocolate and I was blown away by this place! We were offered a taste of a bacon-marshmallow bar, kind of like a Rice Krispie treat with bacon in it. Excellent! I bought my dad a bacon-chocolate pretzel rod and when I gave it to him the next day, he started making plans to visit the Baconery. She had a bacon hot chocolate, chocolate bacon peanut butter cookies, chocolate-covered bacon etc. Suffice to say, I think I've created a monster by taking her here!
As for me, the bacon pecan pie is one of the best desserts I have ever had. Perfect individual size, flaky crust, large pecans, the crispiness of the bacon, the richness of the syrup. Forget cake, this is all I would ever want for my birthday! The oatmeal cranberry bacon cookie was fine, really sugary, but I like the sweetness of the cranberries along with the bacon. A place that is unique, fun, creative, and just makes you feel good. It's just one of a kind! Only request...regular milk needs to be on the menu!
Then it was the B to the F to the M and the walk to Juniper Valley Rd in Middle Village around 9 pm. I watched the end of a couple hockey games with Francis and Ellen before hitting the sack.
East Coast-Day 2-Connecticut
I woke up at 6:30 am and headed straight downstairs for a workout. I ran two miles on the treadmill and lifted dumbbells for 20 minutes. Then I headed straight over to breakfast where I wolfed down scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, and an English muffin with peanut butter. After a well-deserved shower, we drove back to my grandfather's apartment in Waterford. He asked to go pick up his prescription at CVS, which we did. I also picked up a few straight razors and shaving foam, since I forgot my electric razor at home. I remembered the case for the razor, just not the razor itself. It seems like I always forget one item every time I travel. This wasn't the worst thing to forget though, I mean, it could have been my cell phone charger or the event tickets!
So I got to pick the lunch place and the city was downtown New Haven, home of Yale University.
The spot I had in mind was Louis' Lunch, a burger joint that has been around for over 100 years now. Some say they are the originators of the hamburger sandwich. As I was walking inside this little place which looked from the outside like a train car, I thought I had stepped into 1925. The place has just a dark industrial cramped feel and the big metal chairs against the wall look like thrones!And what I like is they have their own very unique way of doing things. The only toppings are American cheese, tomato, and onion. No lettuce, no avocado, and don't even think about asking for ketchup!
I opted for a cheese works with salad and a birch. AKA a burger with cheese, tomato, onion on white toast along with potato salad and a birch beer. The potato salad came in a styrofoam cup and it was pretty good, it thankfully didn't have much mayo, and the addition of hard cooked eggs added a good texture to it.
The burgers do take some time, but cooked in those ancient cast iron grills, they're worth it. I absolutely recommend the onions, they're grilled into the burger and they complement the juicy beef so well. The burger was nice and thick and though I got it medium rare, which is the custom, I might recommend getting it more well done. The inside was pink, but if it had been cooked any less, I wouldn't have felt comfortable eating it. I like that they do the burger on toast because it lets the beef stand out as the star of the show. That's exactly the way it should be. Looking back, I'm glad I went here, and I believe I would return. But I don't know if I'd drive too far out of my way for it especially with such good pizza options in New Haven.
We headed back east towards New London, but first, we passed Yale University. The buildings look like castles, lots of stone and granite, classic architecture. We dropped my grandfather off and literally drove two minutes and arrived at my grandparents old house, where my Aunt Linda now lives. We parked and walked around the curve that leads to a group of six condos. The front door was open and Linda's black cat was parked right at the foot of the door. We opened the door and found her sitting on a sofa, looking ragged, and staring back at us. I never expected her first words.
"Who are you?" she asked.
I definitely didn't expect those to be the first words. After she figured it out, the three of us stood in the living room and discussed issues we needed to address. We let her come with us to Harkness State Park, since I really wanted to walk on the big rocks besides the Atlantic Ocean. Wearing my new boots, I sprinted down the sand to those rocks. As I roam across them, navigating the unique angles and colors, while jumping to the higher spots and plunging to the lowest spots, it gives me such a sense of adventure and freedom. I wish I could do it every weekend. I got a nice view of the New London lighthouse, which is square shaped. Eventually, Mom and I found a bench that we sat on. We gave Linda time to just stand on the beach and take in the outdoors. We couldn't help but reflect on family struggles and how important it is to be honest and handle conflict appropriately.
After about 20 minutes of sitting, we returned to the car and I checked my phone. Dad broke the news about the Rangers trading Marian Gaborik to Columbus for a chronic underachiever in Derick Brassard and two other guys I have never heard of. In the moment, I was calling it the white flag trade. I hated that the Rangers trading Gaborik, but I guess the relationship with Coach John Tortorella has deteriorated to the point that it had become unworkable. I looked to plug my phone in, until I realized the attachment that plugs into the source of the charger had disappeared. So somehow, my cell phone charger was rendered useless. There's $20 down the drain.
We dropped Linda off and drove 15 minutes to downtown Mystic. We checked out the local art and souvenir shops. I stopped into the Black Dog souvenir shop (based on a famous tavern on Martha's Vineyard) and a local spice shop where I experimented with Italian spices, dessert toppings, and so on. We also walked over the drawbridge that is over the famous Mystic River. Almost the entire bridge is under construction right now, so we only had room to walk on one side of the bridge and as we passed over, a violent cold wind forced me to remove my blue Mets hat from my head and hold onto it until we had crossed to the other side.
So we were looking for a decent happy hour in Mystic and we walked inside the Riverwalk restaurant. We sat at the four-sided wooden bar and I ordered a Blue Point toasted lager. For $5.50, it was a good size and a great beer that I wish was served in the Midwest. I started with a cup of clam chowder. It was one of the better chowders I've had in a long time. Good-sized chunks of lobster, potatoes, and a thick satisfying cream base. I would actually order the bowl next time.
Then we got a few apps. We had the Cajun shrimp and I really enjoyed this. The shrimp was tender and the garlicky sauce was full of flavor too. I liked the thick pieces of bread for dipping in the sauce too. Off the bartender's recommendation, the seared tuna was a good choice also. We got six chunks of ahi tuna with a drizzle of wasabi sauce. On top, they placed a bed of fresh Asian slaw that did a good job at balancing out the heat from the wasabi.
The disappointment for me was the bartender just wasn't overly friendly. She responded to our questions and requests pretty quickly, but it wouldn't have killed her to smile one time. And me having an empty glass of water for five minutes when there were only three other people in the bar besides me...sorry, that's just not paying attention. I would probably return if I was back in Mystic, it's a good neighborhood joint that makes quality food without being over the top expensive.
Then around 6:30, we headed back to the hotel for the night. I spent two hours on the hotel internet, and I spent a full hour of that time trying to print a single email! For dinner, we finished the pizza off. God those coal roasted peppers...amazing! I put the Knicks game on the television while listening to the Mets game on my cell phone. This is called multi-tasking. Or it could be called crazy, take your pick.
All three teams won their games convincingly, which only happens to me once a year, if I'm lucky!
So I got to pick the lunch place and the city was downtown New Haven, home of Yale University.
The spot I had in mind was Louis' Lunch, a burger joint that has been around for over 100 years now. Some say they are the originators of the hamburger sandwich. As I was walking inside this little place which looked from the outside like a train car, I thought I had stepped into 1925. The place has just a dark industrial cramped feel and the big metal chairs against the wall look like thrones!And what I like is they have their own very unique way of doing things. The only toppings are American cheese, tomato, and onion. No lettuce, no avocado, and don't even think about asking for ketchup!
I opted for a cheese works with salad and a birch. AKA a burger with cheese, tomato, onion on white toast along with potato salad and a birch beer. The potato salad came in a styrofoam cup and it was pretty good, it thankfully didn't have much mayo, and the addition of hard cooked eggs added a good texture to it.
The burgers do take some time, but cooked in those ancient cast iron grills, they're worth it. I absolutely recommend the onions, they're grilled into the burger and they complement the juicy beef so well. The burger was nice and thick and though I got it medium rare, which is the custom, I might recommend getting it more well done. The inside was pink, but if it had been cooked any less, I wouldn't have felt comfortable eating it. I like that they do the burger on toast because it lets the beef stand out as the star of the show. That's exactly the way it should be. Looking back, I'm glad I went here, and I believe I would return. But I don't know if I'd drive too far out of my way for it especially with such good pizza options in New Haven.
We headed back east towards New London, but first, we passed Yale University. The buildings look like castles, lots of stone and granite, classic architecture. We dropped my grandfather off and literally drove two minutes and arrived at my grandparents old house, where my Aunt Linda now lives. We parked and walked around the curve that leads to a group of six condos. The front door was open and Linda's black cat was parked right at the foot of the door. We opened the door and found her sitting on a sofa, looking ragged, and staring back at us. I never expected her first words.
"Who are you?" she asked.
I definitely didn't expect those to be the first words. After she figured it out, the three of us stood in the living room and discussed issues we needed to address. We let her come with us to Harkness State Park, since I really wanted to walk on the big rocks besides the Atlantic Ocean. Wearing my new boots, I sprinted down the sand to those rocks. As I roam across them, navigating the unique angles and colors, while jumping to the higher spots and plunging to the lowest spots, it gives me such a sense of adventure and freedom. I wish I could do it every weekend. I got a nice view of the New London lighthouse, which is square shaped. Eventually, Mom and I found a bench that we sat on. We gave Linda time to just stand on the beach and take in the outdoors. We couldn't help but reflect on family struggles and how important it is to be honest and handle conflict appropriately.
After about 20 minutes of sitting, we returned to the car and I checked my phone. Dad broke the news about the Rangers trading Marian Gaborik to Columbus for a chronic underachiever in Derick Brassard and two other guys I have never heard of. In the moment, I was calling it the white flag trade. I hated that the Rangers trading Gaborik, but I guess the relationship with Coach John Tortorella has deteriorated to the point that it had become unworkable. I looked to plug my phone in, until I realized the attachment that plugs into the source of the charger had disappeared. So somehow, my cell phone charger was rendered useless. There's $20 down the drain.
We dropped Linda off and drove 15 minutes to downtown Mystic. We checked out the local art and souvenir shops. I stopped into the Black Dog souvenir shop (based on a famous tavern on Martha's Vineyard) and a local spice shop where I experimented with Italian spices, dessert toppings, and so on. We also walked over the drawbridge that is over the famous Mystic River. Almost the entire bridge is under construction right now, so we only had room to walk on one side of the bridge and as we passed over, a violent cold wind forced me to remove my blue Mets hat from my head and hold onto it until we had crossed to the other side.
So we were looking for a decent happy hour in Mystic and we walked inside the Riverwalk restaurant. We sat at the four-sided wooden bar and I ordered a Blue Point toasted lager. For $5.50, it was a good size and a great beer that I wish was served in the Midwest. I started with a cup of clam chowder. It was one of the better chowders I've had in a long time. Good-sized chunks of lobster, potatoes, and a thick satisfying cream base. I would actually order the bowl next time.
Then we got a few apps. We had the Cajun shrimp and I really enjoyed this. The shrimp was tender and the garlicky sauce was full of flavor too. I liked the thick pieces of bread for dipping in the sauce too. Off the bartender's recommendation, the seared tuna was a good choice also. We got six chunks of ahi tuna with a drizzle of wasabi sauce. On top, they placed a bed of fresh Asian slaw that did a good job at balancing out the heat from the wasabi.
The disappointment for me was the bartender just wasn't overly friendly. She responded to our questions and requests pretty quickly, but it wouldn't have killed her to smile one time. And me having an empty glass of water for five minutes when there were only three other people in the bar besides me...sorry, that's just not paying attention. I would probably return if I was back in Mystic, it's a good neighborhood joint that makes quality food without being over the top expensive.
Then around 6:30, we headed back to the hotel for the night. I spent two hours on the hotel internet, and I spent a full hour of that time trying to print a single email! For dinner, we finished the pizza off. God those coal roasted peppers...amazing! I put the Knicks game on the television while listening to the Mets game on my cell phone. This is called multi-tasking. Or it could be called crazy, take your pick.
All three teams won their games convincingly, which only happens to me once a year, if I'm lucky!
Sunday, April 07, 2013
East Coast-Day 1-Connecticut
I got up at 4:15 am for another early morning plane ride. Mom and I took the 7 am flight from Chicago to Hartford. Out of 50 seats on the American Eagle plane, maybe half of them were occupied. I took plenty of time to sleep on that plane. I knew I was packing a lot of events into six days and, I don't know, maybe I was wishing I could keep some sleep on layaway and use it later!
We arrived in Hartford and our bags were the only ones laying on the claim carousel. I guess everyone else tried to check theirs in and wait on the jet bridge to retrieve them. We took a shuttle to our rental car from Advantage, and at 51 bucks a day, it was a steep price to pay. I guess since it's spring break, cars are in high demand. Also, I found out a lot of people fly to Hartford and then drive to Boston or New York since the rates are cheaper in Hartford. The car we got was this baby blue Nissan, that was so bright of a blue, I think the people who own the color blue would try to claim that car was red. It was made in Mexico and the speakers sounds so muffled, it's like listening to AM radio in 1965.
The first place we drive to was Johnny Ad's, a seafood shack in Old Saybrook. Mom, as always got her lobster roll, while I opted for a fried clam strip roll. I got a New England hot dog roll absolutely overloaded with fried strips. They could have been hotter in temperature, but they tasted very crispy and tender. I added a little tartar sauce, that added an extra layer of flavor. Crinkle cut fries were good too. There was a mix-up with our drinks. The owner charged us for them but I noticed we didn't get them with our food. I went back to the order window, asked them, and she said we never then said she didn't. We kind of went back and forth on that issue before they realized they did charge us for them. Everything was friendly, it was just kind of a confusing situation. Pretty good spot, not sure I'd return though.
So we drove to Crescent Point nursing home in the tiny town of Niantic. We visited with my grandmother for maybe an hour and I hadn't seen her in maybe six years, I really don't know how many years it had been. We all talked about a variety of topics, some family, some general. It went pleasant enough.
Then we drive over to North Road in Waterford, about ten minutes away where my grandfather now lives in his own apartment. It's only two minutes away from the house they used to live in. I was surprised how much thinner he looked and that he was wearing sweatpants. I always picture him wearing a suit or shorts to ride a bike in. It was a very strange sight. He was still walking on hos own just fine, albeit a little slower. He hadn't eaten that day, so we took him to a local restaurant called The Shack. He ordered a bowl of stuffed pepper soup and cornbread, while Mom just had coffee, and I had a tall glass of milk, and a big slice of homemade coconut custard pie with whipped cream. The pie crust was very flaky and I love the coconut flavor. It's very hard to find that flavor pie, so that made the taste that much more enjoyable.
After dropping him off at his apartment, we checked in at the Hampton Inn hotel in Mystic. It's on a road right off exit 90 on I-95 with about five other hotels right around it. Let's see, a hotel with a nice bed, pool, 40 TV channels, free hot breakfast, and a gym with dumbbells, I'm happy with that. I was also happy that I was finally able to change out of my slacks and sweater and put on black jeans and an olive green pullover. Much more comfortable.
Not wanting to stay inside, we went to the Mystic outlet malls and our first stop was the Bass shoe store. The last time I had been in this store was 10 years ago when I bought a pair of boots that I still wear today, even though they're pretty well worn and not that comfortable anymore! Well today, I couldn't believe what the store was offering. Almost every pair of shoes in the store was available for 80 percent off! I got two pairs. One was a pair of waterproof black slip ons and the other was boots that are dark brown and black. I never expected to buy shoes on this trip. But those shoes cost $300 total, but I paid about $56 for both! An absolute steal!
After a little more window shopping, we headed north to the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville. In my mind, it's the nicest casino I've ever seen outside of Las Vegas and I can see why it's quickly become one of the most popular casinos in America. The construction and design of the casinos is very unique, the hotel rooms, I hear, are tremendous, and the restaurants are through the roof. We opted for Frank Pepe pizza, which is a legendary pizzeria based in New Haven. We ordered a salad to split then got a 16-incher with Clams and bacon on one side and roasted peppers and shrimp on the other. They cook them in their brick oven, which uses coal for the heat. I still contend that coal pizza is the best way to cook pizza. It adds a smokiness and a crispness to the crust you can't get anywhere else. And indeed, this was an amazing pizza. The funny part was the kid who made the pizza rolled the dough out wrong. As a result, a corner of the pizza had a hole in it and that kind of messed up about a quarter of the pizza. They wold us and made us a small pizza with shrimp and peppers to replace it. So all of a sudden, we get even more pizza than we bargained for. It wound up serving as our dinner the next night too!
We left around 7 or so drove around downtown Mystic, passing sights such as the famous drawbridge over Mystic River, Mystic Pizza, the Black Dog Cafe, and Flood Tide, which was renovated by Robert Irvine on Restaurant Impossible. We made it back to the hotel around 8 and settled in for the night.
We arrived in Hartford and our bags were the only ones laying on the claim carousel. I guess everyone else tried to check theirs in and wait on the jet bridge to retrieve them. We took a shuttle to our rental car from Advantage, and at 51 bucks a day, it was a steep price to pay. I guess since it's spring break, cars are in high demand. Also, I found out a lot of people fly to Hartford and then drive to Boston or New York since the rates are cheaper in Hartford. The car we got was this baby blue Nissan, that was so bright of a blue, I think the people who own the color blue would try to claim that car was red. It was made in Mexico and the speakers sounds so muffled, it's like listening to AM radio in 1965.
The first place we drive to was Johnny Ad's, a seafood shack in Old Saybrook. Mom, as always got her lobster roll, while I opted for a fried clam strip roll. I got a New England hot dog roll absolutely overloaded with fried strips. They could have been hotter in temperature, but they tasted very crispy and tender. I added a little tartar sauce, that added an extra layer of flavor. Crinkle cut fries were good too. There was a mix-up with our drinks. The owner charged us for them but I noticed we didn't get them with our food. I went back to the order window, asked them, and she said we never then said she didn't. We kind of went back and forth on that issue before they realized they did charge us for them. Everything was friendly, it was just kind of a confusing situation. Pretty good spot, not sure I'd return though.
So we drove to Crescent Point nursing home in the tiny town of Niantic. We visited with my grandmother for maybe an hour and I hadn't seen her in maybe six years, I really don't know how many years it had been. We all talked about a variety of topics, some family, some general. It went pleasant enough.
Then we drive over to North Road in Waterford, about ten minutes away where my grandfather now lives in his own apartment. It's only two minutes away from the house they used to live in. I was surprised how much thinner he looked and that he was wearing sweatpants. I always picture him wearing a suit or shorts to ride a bike in. It was a very strange sight. He was still walking on hos own just fine, albeit a little slower. He hadn't eaten that day, so we took him to a local restaurant called The Shack. He ordered a bowl of stuffed pepper soup and cornbread, while Mom just had coffee, and I had a tall glass of milk, and a big slice of homemade coconut custard pie with whipped cream. The pie crust was very flaky and I love the coconut flavor. It's very hard to find that flavor pie, so that made the taste that much more enjoyable.
After dropping him off at his apartment, we checked in at the Hampton Inn hotel in Mystic. It's on a road right off exit 90 on I-95 with about five other hotels right around it. Let's see, a hotel with a nice bed, pool, 40 TV channels, free hot breakfast, and a gym with dumbbells, I'm happy with that. I was also happy that I was finally able to change out of my slacks and sweater and put on black jeans and an olive green pullover. Much more comfortable.
Not wanting to stay inside, we went to the Mystic outlet malls and our first stop was the Bass shoe store. The last time I had been in this store was 10 years ago when I bought a pair of boots that I still wear today, even though they're pretty well worn and not that comfortable anymore! Well today, I couldn't believe what the store was offering. Almost every pair of shoes in the store was available for 80 percent off! I got two pairs. One was a pair of waterproof black slip ons and the other was boots that are dark brown and black. I never expected to buy shoes on this trip. But those shoes cost $300 total, but I paid about $56 for both! An absolute steal!
After a little more window shopping, we headed north to the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville. In my mind, it's the nicest casino I've ever seen outside of Las Vegas and I can see why it's quickly become one of the most popular casinos in America. The construction and design of the casinos is very unique, the hotel rooms, I hear, are tremendous, and the restaurants are through the roof. We opted for Frank Pepe pizza, which is a legendary pizzeria based in New Haven. We ordered a salad to split then got a 16-incher with Clams and bacon on one side and roasted peppers and shrimp on the other. They cook them in their brick oven, which uses coal for the heat. I still contend that coal pizza is the best way to cook pizza. It adds a smokiness and a crispness to the crust you can't get anywhere else. And indeed, this was an amazing pizza. The funny part was the kid who made the pizza rolled the dough out wrong. As a result, a corner of the pizza had a hole in it and that kind of messed up about a quarter of the pizza. They wold us and made us a small pizza with shrimp and peppers to replace it. So all of a sudden, we get even more pizza than we bargained for. It wound up serving as our dinner the next night too!
We left around 7 or so drove around downtown Mystic, passing sights such as the famous drawbridge over Mystic River, Mystic Pizza, the Black Dog Cafe, and Flood Tide, which was renovated by Robert Irvine on Restaurant Impossible. We made it back to the hotel around 8 and settled in for the night.
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