NYC - Day 1

Caught the morning flight out to Newark, NJ early on Sunday morning from the Island airport in downtown T Dot. Judging by the heavy clouds hanging over the city, there was a bunch of rain in store and I was please to be heading out.

NJ Daddy and NJ Baby met me at the airport train station, and we headed right over to Shea Stadium - home of the NY Mets. Well until the end of this season anyway!
The last time I saw NJ Baby was when the family was over during Christmas and he's grown so big! Almost 9 months old now, he's full of life with a charming personality and easy smile (like his Mummy) and the tendency to doze off at the drop off a hat (like his Daddy).Our tickets were at the very top of the stadium, and though at first that proved to be a challenge seeing as both NJ Daddy and I are terrified of heights, as the game went on, we discovered that we actually had some of the best seats in the house! We had the wind in our backs (and boy was it a hot hot day) and when it began to rain mid way though the game - we had the overhang to protect us! Perfect!Of course, when you're at the ballpark 3 things are a must - beer, hot dogs and peanuts. As I cooled off on with a chilled bottle,And NJ Baby followed my example with one - er, make that two - of his own!
Very refreshed by his chilled drinks, NJ Baby sat up and began to take note of his surroundings. After all, this was his very first Major League Baseball game!

He saw the plane take off from La Guardia airport just behind the stadium.

He saw the Flushing Meadows tennis stadiums where the US Open Championships are held.

And he did the 7th inning stretch with Mr. Met the mascot.

Basically, NJ Baby decided that hanging out with Daddy and Auntie Pixy at the ball game was a great way to spend an afternoon!
 
After the game (which the Mets won) we had to battle our way through a hoard of people back to Highland Park, NJ

NJ Baby decided that he's going to be a good baseball fan (and only ever cheer for the Mets - NEVER the Yankees). After all, he wants to be just like his Daddy!

The Boys of Summer are back!

The weather is totally crap and un-spring like.
The last bits of hardened snow refuse to melt.
Wearing flip flops is still a vague and distant dream.
But then, baseball season begins and suddenly the storm clouds seem to roll away, we shed some of those winter layers and restaurants and pubs begin to clean out their patio spaces and we all roll out the red carpet to welcome back the "Boys of Summer".

The arrival of the baseball season is cause for celebration for both fans of the game and everyone else too. It does after all mean that soon, very soon we can finally pack away the parkas and welcome the sunshine and warmth back again. Of course, this is Toronto and that could mean that we play the Home Opener in -10 weather with an inch of snow on the ground. It's the thought that counts!

A team’s Home Opener is always a big deal. The game is usually sold out – or almost close to that. And that’s a whole lot of people for a 50,000 seat stadium as in the case of the Rogers Centre where the Jays play. Even if your team is at the very bottom of the standing, the Home Opener is the time when every fan can hope (even for a short while) that “this will be the year”.

The Rogers Centre - home of the Toronto Blue Jays, with the CN tower in the background

My very first home opener experience was back in 2002 when I was a rookie game day staffer at the Box Office. That day also marked the first time I was featured on the evening news. Yup, a truly heinous shot of me bravely trying to hold a smile and a “professional front” while a hoard of angry fans stormed the Box Office in protest of long lines and ticketing systems that didn't quite work like they should. Thankfully, most of the TV segment included my left arm and side and not a whole lot of recognizable features! Not surprisingly, more than 50% of the part time staff quite after that night.

In all my time working with the Jays, I never actually WATCHED a home opener game. It was by far the busiest day of the year and for the most part us staff were running around making sure that things were going the way they should, talking/meeting/greeting clients and the likes. If at all you were lucky enough to finish work at a “decent” hour you’d probably have missed most of the game anyway! But it was also one of the most exciting days of the entire season and the hard work and long hours were worth it. There is an electricity in the air at every game. At the Home Opener it is ten times that with the excitement and anticipation rising to a fever pitch.

Last year, I watched the Jays home opener online. I was in Tokyo and it was technically the next morning, but I was determined not to miss it.

This year, I went to the game and actually watched, cheered and participated in the experience from start to finish. I thought I'd miss being part of the "behind the scenes" experience. But it was not so. I was just as excited (if not more) to be there as a fan and be just one of the many who were thinking, "Perhaps this year is OUR year."

Missing - free time!

Looking for employment is a full time job in itself! Compound that with playing tour guide to a visiting cousin, trying to complete about 100 odd jobs around the house AND watching season 3 of Buffy.... well.... my days are just packed full to the brim!

It's only Wednesday and already this week has been super hectic! Highlights include playing personal photographer the same visiting cousin who insisted she didn't get enough camera time at the wee one's communion. So went over to their place on Monday night where the kids and her got dressed up and I took a whole bunch of shots. The hardest part of that gig was getting Captain to shut up while I was taking the pics! She just CANNOT stop talking! I will not take responsibility if she has her mouth wide open in all of the shots!

Played tour guide all of Tuesday as I showed Captain the sights and sounds of downtown T Dot. Had to condend with much "Can we sit down now? When do we get to shop? Are we there yet?" along the way - alarming when its coming from a 32 yr old! Still, she seemed to have a good time and that was the purpose so I'll pass on the minor inconvenient details!

Passed my "charge" onto the aunt at the GO station at 5:15 and enjoyed the rest of the evening hanging with Brooksy and his gal at the ballgame where the Yankees were in town. Jays beat the Yanks 3-2 and the defining moment of the game was watching Aaron Hill catch Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte napping and steal home right under his nose!

Started today off bright and early with an interview for what sounds like a totally amazing postion with a Not for Profit organization. The recruiters I interviewed with seemed impressed with my experience and hopefully I'll hear back on a second interview with reps from the company.

Picked up Captain and took her to dinner on the Danforth where we met up with Trippy. Had an amazing tapas meal at Embrujo Flamenco that included Mejillones Con Queso - grilled mussels with parmesan, Pinchos Morunos - spicy pork kebabs and Avestruz - grilled ostrich in wine! If you're looking for something new with out-of-this-world food, try this place!

Must finally hit the sac now - after all tomorrow is another soul searching, job hunting, chore filled day!

The family and the city

In honour of coz Captain who's visiting from Bombay, I organized a family "day at the ball park" this past Sunday. All the moms were quite thrilled when presented with a rose and a lovely tote bag at the gates by the staff in celebration of "Mother's day".

The Jays took on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and we cheered them along all the way! Even though the Jays lost, we were in too high sprits to be brought down. After the game, we hopped across the road to see my cousin's new condo and on the way out bumped into 3rd baseman Troy Glaus! The kids were thrilled and my aunt thought he was "quite nice looking"
Met up with my bro who works at the TD Tower. He took a bunch of us up to the roof and from 56 stories high we had a wonderful view of Toronto. Not as high as the CN Tower, but it sure beats the $22 price tag for the elevator ride up! 


Finished the day with a fish 'n chips meal at Fionn McCools on the Esplanade followed by desserts from DQ's and we were all back home just in time to catch Desperate Housewives! Now THAT'S a well planned day - if I say it myself! ;)

Another day, another friend!

After getting to bed as late as 3:30 am last night (rather, this morning)... waking up was rather difficult! Fortunately I had told Don I'd meet him at 11:30 in Yokahama and there was a direct train from Sakura House there.

As per Don's instructions, I was to exit the station via the "Central Exit" head out and right and wait at the "Soup Stock" - sounds simple huh? Well when I get to Yokohama, I discover that "central exit" does not exist; instead there is "West" and "East" exits and they're quite far apart from each other. A quick call to his celly doesn't help either as it goes to voicemail. After wandering around for a bit, I discover that he meant the WEST exit, and waited by the shop for this dude I've never met and who's supposed to show me around Yokohama but who is obviously directionally challenged!

The dude turned out to be great fun though, and we had an amazing day together!

With Don as my guide......

• I explored my first Don Quiotxe store (very popular chain store in Japan that sells everything from socks to lightbulbs)
• Gazed upon the Landmark Tower - the tallest building in Japan with the fastest lift
• Checked out the Cosmo Clock Ferris Wheel - Japan's version of the London Eye
• Wandered along the Osanbashi Pier
• Chowed down on some yummy sushi
• And reveled in the beauty of the landscaped gardens and relocated houses of Sankei En.

After a mad dash on the subways and the JR lines we made it (late) back in to Tokyo where we met up with Junko one of my friends from ASL classes in Toronto. Junko had just returned to Tokyo after some years studying in Toronto and she had suggested that we check out a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. She managed to score some amazing seats right behind the catcher (in the upper deck of course!) and Don and I both most thoroughly enjoyed our first Japanese baseball experience! Had to try the beer (overpriced) and the dogs (cold and insipid) of course and came to the conclusion that some things are the same the world over!

The Japanese baseball fans are however in a class of their own, rivaling even the die-hard Bostonians over their passion for the sport. So enamoured with the players are they that the fans have come up with little chants for each player that they sing and do coordinated hand steps to each time a player comes up to bat. There was never a quiet moment in all of the 3 hrs and 20 mins of the game! Amazing!

Altogether, another good day in Japan all due to the efforts of both Don and Junko - thanks a million you guys!!