I've had the privilege to travel into NYC on many occasions in my lifetime and as travel cities go, I can't imagine anywhere exceeding the experience that the Big Apple has to offer. There are
Broadway shows and some of the best (not to mention diverse) restaurants in the world. You can spend days just being a tourist - wandering around Times Square, taking the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Depending on the time of year, you can witness the ringing in of the new year or the downing of dozens of Coney Island hot dogs. No matter what you enjoy, you can find it in New York City.
This trip to New York was courtesy of my birthday present from Mrs. Mascot Hunter and consisted of a dream weekend for me. We got into the city Thursday night and spent Friday just being tourists. We stayed in Queens and rode the subway into the city. After walking through Central Park and heading to the Top of the Rock for some very picturesque views of the city, our stomachs led us into Times Square and right to John's Pizzeria. This pizza shop is located in an old church and between the views of the stained glass and the smells of the brick ovens, has
unbelievable ambiance (yes, a pizza joint can have ambiance). After trekking through the city for most of the day, we took the subway to Flushing and right to Citi Field, the brand spanking new home of the NY Mets.
First of all, I love taking mass transportation to a sporting event. It seems to build a feeling of camaraderie amongst the fans. Instead of fighting someone for a parking space that you just paid $20 for, you can talk about the starting pitcher or the cleanup hitter with a complete stranger - a unique experience that you won't find too many places. Upon exiting the subway, any baseball fan with a sense of history will be floored by Citi Field's first impression.
The facade of the park was designed to mimic the old Ebbets Field, home to the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913-1960. Once inside, you walk through Jackie Robinson Rotunda. This area is dedicated the man who broke the color barrier in major league baseball 63 years ago today. Quotes and pictures of the baseball legend fill the great hall and in the center is a sculpture of his retired jersey number. As a interesting side note, it was the first time I have ever stood in front of an eight-foot tall statue broadcasting my pant size.
The stadium itself is magnificent and, as you would expect, well attended. Our Pepsi Porch tickets (right field - upper deck) cost upwards of $90 each on the secondary market but due to the unique overhang of the section over the field, ended up being pretty nice seats. We were treated to a home run by the home team and an appearance by the home run apple in center field (a tradition carried over from the team's days at Shea Stadium). Unfortunately, the closest we got to Mr. Met was his appearance on the Jumbotron. Although the mascot picture is our calling card, its hard to be disappointed since Mr. Met's elusiveness just means we'll have to go back again.
Despite the late night, we rolled out of bed early Saturday morning and drove out Long Island to Bethpage Black and the rain-soaked second/third round of the US Open (told you it was a dream weekend). It was my second trip to a PGA event (first major) and despite muddy conditions reminiscent of Woodstock, good times were had by all.
After two days and well over 20 miles of walking, we retired to our hotel room with some Chinese takeout and something to clean off my shoes. We left town Sunday morning completely
exhausted and with the list of things we didn't get to do far exceeding what we did. Which poses the question: what to do next time we're in town? Katz's Deli, a Broadway show and a Yankees game? A Rangers game at MSG followed by ice skating at Rockefeller Center? I think the point is that you can't go wrong in New York as long as you show up with a thirst for adventure... and machine washable shoes.
