Yes ladies and gents, the rumors are true.
The Mets have won all four games that I have seen in Citi Field (we will not EVER talk about those two games I went to this past April in Miami... played by the "pre-CitiField" Mets)
4 - 0 ! ! ! ! !
Unreal!!! The past few season when I've had the small ticket plans (6-8 tix), they've played terribly against everyone: the good teams and the bad teams alike. I think I can count on one hand how many games they won for me live the past 3 seasons in Shea Stadium. Nice to see the trend changing for the better in the new ballpark.
Game 1 - Marlins (April 27):
My first Mets game at Citi Field.
Gary Sheffield drops a routine fly ball in left in the top of the first and that runner was driven home by Jorge Cantu for the early 1-0 lead. It was shaping up to be one of those typical Mets games. But then Sheff makes up for the gaffe in the bottom half of the inning by driving in a run (with runners on 1st and 3rd) to tie the game. Several minutes later, with a 2-1 lead and the bases loaded, the #8 batter comes up to the plate. It's rookie catcher Omir Santos who is ONLY getting regular playing time because Brian Schneider is on the DL. What does the young man do?? Santos hits the first grand slam at Citi Field!!! A 6-1 lead in the first and the fans are going absolutely NUTS!!!
OH BTW, I HATE the new apple in center field. It doesn't have the same 'feel' as the old apple. And it also doesn't stay up long enough to take a picture of it. By the time you're done high fiving your fellow fans around you, the apple is already on it's way back into it's hole. I HATE IT!
As far as stadium noms, I was told I had to try Shake Shack. They did not disappoint! At first, I thought the burgers were a little overpriced but after a few bites, I can see why there was such a long line in the first place. The burgers were fantastic, the Shakemeister beer from Brooklyn Brewery was a nice compliment, and the vanilla shake... mmm mmm mmm. I decided I would hit up Shake Shack again next time at the ball park.
The game ends up being the Marlins 7th straight loss and gets the Mets to a game under .500 (9-10). Can it be that the Marlins really started the season 11-1 with the only loss coming to us in Miami at the start of the season?? Wow, the baseball gods are fickle.
Final Score: Marlins 1 - Mets 7
Game 2 - Pirates (May 8th):
My annual birthday game.
The Pirates always come to town during the Mets homestands around my birthday. The Amazins got off to an early start with 2 runs in the first only to give them right back to the Pirates in the 3rd. Going into the bottom of the 8th, it seemed certain this game would go to extra innings. It would be the first extra inning game at Citi Field but the Carlos-es had a different plan. Beltran singled in a run and Delgado followed up with a 3-run bomb to right center. K-Rod had been warming up while the Mets were batting but with another run driven in by rookie Omir Santos, the Mets brought out JJ Putz instead to finish up the game.
I had Shake Shack one again this game. Tried the Shack-cago dog. Not too bad. Not my first choice as their burgers are quite phenomenal but not too shabby. The Taqueria needs to be the next stop for me.
(Mets record is now 15-13: they're 6-3 since my last time in Citi Field)
Final Score: Pirates 3 - Mets 7
Game 3 - Nationals (May 26):
A drizzly Tuesday night at Citi Field. I was supposed to go to the game with someone and they flaked on me (you know who you are... I'm not about to name names). I was undecided about going to the game alone since no one was available to go at the last minute - perhaps they were afraid they'd melt in the rain(??). Who knows...
Nevertheless, I got up and went to the game alone. And I'm soooo glad I did. Not just because my streak remained intact but I got to see a glimpse of the old Livan Hernandez. The work horse who can throw nearly 120 pitches and go deep in a game. Turns out this was not only the Mets first complete game of the season but the Mets first complete game in CITI FIELD!! Good game, very little drizzle. You-who-shall-remain-nameless missed out!! (To be fair, this person did have a legitimate excuse for missing the game, so I'm not gonna hate too much)
I got to try the Taqueria food. The elotes are amazing (no Mets pun intended) but the tacos are very ho-hum. Nothing special and DEF not worth the price. Pleasantly surprised by one of the specialty beers though I cannot recall the name of the pilsner that I bought. My apologies to my beer connoisseurs, I'll get the name of the brew on my next trip to Citi Field.
(Mets record is now 25-20, they're 10-7 since my last visit to Citi Field)
Final Score: Nationals 1 - Mets 6
Game 4 - Marlins (May 29):
Last minute call from a friend on Facebook to check out a game. I was down and ended up meeting up with people at the Citi Field. I forgot my camera and was hoping that it wasn't the source of all the good luck I've had at Citi Field.
Big Pelf (Mets' starter Mike Pelfrey for those of you who don't know) had a great game as he went 7 2/3 innings and allowed only one run while throwing 108 pitches. The game was moving very quickly as both starters got some quick outs and allowed very few baserunners. It was already 2 hours into the game and we were tied 1-1 in the 8th. WTF!! Usually baseball games go about 3 innings every hour. Could this game be finished by 9:30? Not on this night since this time the game DID go to extra innings (unlike Game 2 against the Pirates). It was the 3rd extra inning game in Citi Field (the first two times were against Atlanta a few weeks ago).
In the 11th, after what felt like 20,000 throws over to first base, Sheffield steals 2nd and goes to third on a bad throw from the catcher. Tatis gets hit by the very next pitch by Sanches (which made me wonder if it was intentional but whatever... we've got runners on the corners, no double play plz!). Omir Santos comes to bat and hits the game winning single in the 11th. He is easily the player of the game as he drives in both runs today including a solo HR in the 5th.
I'm starting to think that maybe I'm Santos' good luck charm. lol. Let's check out the numbers for Santos in Citi Field:
With me sitting in Citi Field (4 games): 5 for 17 (.294), 3 runs, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 SO
Without me in Citi Field (15 games): 10 for 36 (.278), 6 runs, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 7 SO
Santos hits his HR's at home when I'm there and he strikes out less. I'm just saying!!
I ate at Blue Smoke this time and had the pulled pork sandwich. Not too bad but slightly overpriced in my book considering it's served in a fairly small bun. Though it was quite filling so maybe it was worth it since I didn't eat lunch. I think I'll try the ribs at my next game.
(Mets record is now 27-20, they're 2-0 since my last time in Citi Field)
Final Score: Marlins 1 - Mets 2
My love affair with Citi Field has officially begun. I don't know when the honeymoon will be over but for now, I'm loving the new digs.
On a related side note, I'm still sitting here without Subway Series for the first time in a long time. *sigh* Let's see how that goes. LET'S GO METS!!!
Until next time, faithful reader......
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Legacy
I'd like to welcome to my new readers and welcome back my loyal followers,
A good friend started working with Jose Cuervo recently. Yes, the tequila company and not some individual with the same name. Earlier today, he commented (via his Facebook status) about how he tasted one of their brands of tequila and it made me think about my grandparents.
My maternal grandfather owned a plenty of land in Portugal when my mother was young. Included in his list of properties was a vineyard where he grew his own grapes and made his own wine. He had a large staff that would perform most of the manual labor in the vineyards - cultivating the grapes, picking them, and processing them. The wines were bottled and sold regionally. The family has since sold the vineyard and it's part of some large conglomerate in Portugal.
My paternal grandfather worked at the Bavaria brewery in Colombia. [If you're curious about the brewery's timeline in Colombia, click here] His position with the brewery is the equivalent of what would now be considered the Quality Control specialist. Essentially, he spent his days drinking different batches of beer and putting his stamp of approval on beer before it was bottled. The brewery is still there but I don't think any of my relatives are employed with them any more.
You'd figure with this legacy of wine and beer in my family's history I would be a connoisseur of either wine or beer, if not both. Sadly, I'm not. This is not to say I don't appreciate a good beer or wine but I know very little about the different varieties, types, styles, tastes, etc. of wine and/or beer.
Growing up, my parents didn't really have much of an influence on my ability to discern good wine/beer from bad ones. My parents had simple tastes and a limited budget. They drank what they liked and what they were familiar with. My father may have drank different types of alcohol but he drank the same brands. Also, his taste buds were shot from decades of smoking. If tabasco sauce barely registers on your tongue and you can eat jalapeño peppers (seeds, pith, and all) in a few bites, it's not merely being accustomed to the taste and 'heat'. He barely sensed it at all! My mother also had a select few brands of wines that she would drink and wasn't much of a beer/liquor drinker. She'd have the occasional cocktail at a party but wasn't adventurous at all.
When I first started going out, I also stuck with what I knew.
--Beers: Coronas. Coors Light. Sagres (if I was at a function with my mom's family). Budweiser (if nothing else was around - just to have a beer in hand).
--Wines: To me, all reds were the same and whites were kinda sissy even though they went decently with seafood dishes.
--Liquors: Long Island Iced Teas to get you f'd up quicker (an easy way to get the 'poor man's buzz'). Rum and Coke (because a friend once told me they're really easy to make and hard to mess up).
After a few years, I explored other alcoholic beverages... more on the liquor end of the alcoholic spectrum: Red Devils (an suitable, if somewhat girly, alternative to the LI Iced Teas); White Russians; Anything with Kahlua!; Mojitos (mint in a drink? I was perplexed at first since I couldn't imagine how it could possibly work); I discovered the wonders and horrors of tequila - I understood why so many people avoided it (taste and the 'next day' effects) and why so few liked it; also, Aguardiente (as an expression of my Colombian-ness!).
However, without a 'guide', I was a blind man being led by other blind folks. My friends knew what they liked and also didn't seem to explore beyond those boundaries. I did what I could to try new drinks: incorporating them into Jello was my initial fascination but learning how to make 'party' drinks was also fun (punch, margaritas, etc.)
In recent years, I've decided to take some initiative and try buying different types of red wines. I did this to explore the differences between each type of wine and also to see if there really IS a difference between 'cheap' and 'expensive' wines. I don't feel I'm ready for a wine tasting session yet but definitely have that in my sights for the near future.
Though I may be viniculturally challenged, it was my personal exploration into reds that led me to discover my sangria recipe. The BFS actually ("Best Fn Sangria"). It's a labor of love but everyone that has tried it has given me very positive feedback thus far. I'm constantly looking to improve upon the original recipe and some tweaks have worked while other haven't. Though I have friends who can whip up a quick sangria (and delicious) at the bar, I'm a big believer that a better sangria can be made if the ingredients are given the chance to sit and "get to know each other a little" - preferably overnight but it can be for as few as 4 hours or so.
I was also introduced to Belgian beers by a friend earlier this year (didn't 2009 just start?!?!?), . I realized I have a lot to learn about beer and may have to include a beer tasting in my future as well. Maybe a few beerfests are what I need this summer/fall. Not just to get sloshed but to enjoy the different tastes and qualities of each type of beer.
Maybe the ghosts of my grandfathers can stop by once in a while and provide me with some guidance as well. Or maybe that would be insanely creepy and would scare the bejeezus outta me!! (Hmmm... be careful what you wish for, Alan...) I'll be sure to let you all know if I get any 'late night visitors'.
Until next time, faithful reader.......
A good friend started working with Jose Cuervo recently. Yes, the tequila company and not some individual with the same name. Earlier today, he commented (via his Facebook status) about how he tasted one of their brands of tequila and it made me think about my grandparents.
My maternal grandfather owned a plenty of land in Portugal when my mother was young. Included in his list of properties was a vineyard where he grew his own grapes and made his own wine. He had a large staff that would perform most of the manual labor in the vineyards - cultivating the grapes, picking them, and processing them. The wines were bottled and sold regionally. The family has since sold the vineyard and it's part of some large conglomerate in Portugal.
My paternal grandfather worked at the Bavaria brewery in Colombia. [If you're curious about the brewery's timeline in Colombia, click here] His position with the brewery is the equivalent of what would now be considered the Quality Control specialist. Essentially, he spent his days drinking different batches of beer and putting his stamp of approval on beer before it was bottled. The brewery is still there but I don't think any of my relatives are employed with them any more.
You'd figure with this legacy of wine and beer in my family's history I would be a connoisseur of either wine or beer, if not both. Sadly, I'm not. This is not to say I don't appreciate a good beer or wine but I know very little about the different varieties, types, styles, tastes, etc. of wine and/or beer.
Growing up, my parents didn't really have much of an influence on my ability to discern good wine/beer from bad ones. My parents had simple tastes and a limited budget. They drank what they liked and what they were familiar with. My father may have drank different types of alcohol but he drank the same brands. Also, his taste buds were shot from decades of smoking. If tabasco sauce barely registers on your tongue and you can eat jalapeño peppers (seeds, pith, and all) in a few bites, it's not merely being accustomed to the taste and 'heat'. He barely sensed it at all! My mother also had a select few brands of wines that she would drink and wasn't much of a beer/liquor drinker. She'd have the occasional cocktail at a party but wasn't adventurous at all.
When I first started going out, I also stuck with what I knew.
--Beers: Coronas. Coors Light. Sagres (if I was at a function with my mom's family). Budweiser (if nothing else was around - just to have a beer in hand).
--Wines: To me, all reds were the same and whites were kinda sissy even though they went decently with seafood dishes.
--Liquors: Long Island Iced Teas to get you f'd up quicker (an easy way to get the 'poor man's buzz'). Rum and Coke (because a friend once told me they're really easy to make and hard to mess up).
After a few years, I explored other alcoholic beverages... more on the liquor end of the alcoholic spectrum: Red Devils (an suitable, if somewhat girly, alternative to the LI Iced Teas); White Russians; Anything with Kahlua!; Mojitos (mint in a drink? I was perplexed at first since I couldn't imagine how it could possibly work); I discovered the wonders and horrors of tequila - I understood why so many people avoided it (taste and the 'next day' effects) and why so few liked it; also, Aguardiente (as an expression of my Colombian-ness!).
However, without a 'guide', I was a blind man being led by other blind folks. My friends knew what they liked and also didn't seem to explore beyond those boundaries. I did what I could to try new drinks: incorporating them into Jello was my initial fascination but learning how to make 'party' drinks was also fun (punch, margaritas, etc.)
In recent years, I've decided to take some initiative and try buying different types of red wines. I did this to explore the differences between each type of wine and also to see if there really IS a difference between 'cheap' and 'expensive' wines. I don't feel I'm ready for a wine tasting session yet but definitely have that in my sights for the near future.
Though I may be viniculturally challenged, it was my personal exploration into reds that led me to discover my sangria recipe. The BFS actually ("Best Fn Sangria"). It's a labor of love but everyone that has tried it has given me very positive feedback thus far. I'm constantly looking to improve upon the original recipe and some tweaks have worked while other haven't. Though I have friends who can whip up a quick sangria (and delicious) at the bar, I'm a big believer that a better sangria can be made if the ingredients are given the chance to sit and "get to know each other a little" - preferably overnight but it can be for as few as 4 hours or so.
I was also introduced to Belgian beers by a friend earlier this year (didn't 2009 just start?!?!?), . I realized I have a lot to learn about beer and may have to include a beer tasting in my future as well. Maybe a few beerfests are what I need this summer/fall. Not just to get sloshed but to enjoy the different tastes and qualities of each type of beer.
Maybe the ghosts of my grandfathers can stop by once in a while and provide me with some guidance as well. Or maybe that would be insanely creepy and would scare the bejeezus outta me!! (Hmmm... be careful what you wish for, Alan...) I'll be sure to let you all know if I get any 'late night visitors'.
Until next time, faithful reader.......
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