Seeing NYC From a New Viewpoint

Beautiful view of NYC and Freedom tower from where paddle boarded

When living in the city, at times it feels like you are as far away from nature as its possible to be.  And in the summer, that's not always how you want to be feeling.  I mean, when its sticky and humid and gross out, who wants to be packed in the middle of the city with a million other people?  So I determined that this weekend I was going to find away to feel like I was escaping the city...without really going anywhere.  My solution?  Water sports of course!

Can also go kayaking if paddle boarding not for you

I've always been a big fan of trying new types of workouts.  So I thought a two hour stand up paddle boarding class would be a great and unique way for me to get a workout in.  And let me tell you, it is tiring! But so much fun!  Which, lets be honest, is the best type of workout.  One where you feel it afterwards, but during the activity, you are to distracted by the thrill to notice how tired you are.  I used the NY Kayak Company (http://www.nykayak.com/) who had a great 2 hour beginners class for $100.  I'd recommend doing the morning ride as the first hours the sun isn't at full strength so a lot more comfortable. And the traffic isn't as bad, so its much easier to stand up.  Near the end, the river traffic picked up leading to much choppier waters, which made balancing while standing a bit more challenging.

To say I'm not a natural paddle boarder is a bit of an understatement.  I fell 3 times.  The rest of the class, a grand total of 0 times.  But hey, part of the fun of doing things in the water is getting wet!  At least, that's what I told my self every time I hit the water.  The coolest part about the whole experience was once we got the hang of standing up, we were able to go to the middle of the river.  From there, you get an amazing view of the Freedom tower and all of downtown.  I mean it's truly beautiful seeing the city from the river and its just a very unique way to see NYC.    I will be going again for sure!  Next on the agenda?  Yoga paddle boarding...yes, you read that right.  Doing yoga, on a paddle board, in the middle of the Hudson.  Man I love trying new sports!

The Dog Days of Sports

Summer is tough.  Baseball/Hockey playoffs are done, and though its always fun to go to a baseball game (I mean drinking outside while eating a hot dog, what is better than that), in actuality baseball doesn't really get interesting till late August when the races have started to heat up for playoff sports.  So as a certified sports nut, what is one to do?

Well, the answer is clearly get out and play yourself!  Though there are a few things that this summer is must see TV (Wimbledon, Confed Cup, Soccer Friendlies), its not as if you'll have something to watch at the bar every night.  And there is only so many times you can watch WebGem's on Sportscenter.  After awhile, as amazing as the plays are, they all start to look the same.  So instead of being bored, take the time off from watching sports to go find one you enjoy playing yourself.

A few summers ago I picked up tennis.  Now, its a workout I love to do when I need to mix things up.  I'm not great or anything, but I am passable enough that I can now play and have fun as the exchange isn't always ending with me hitting the ball into the net anymore.  This summer, I really want to find a way to rediscover my golf swing.  When I was a teen, I was a monster on the course!  But I hated it, as well for an ADD kid it's not the most exciting past time out there.  So sadly my parents let me quit, and now I am horrible so need some major practice to rediscover my "glory years" of golf.  So even though I am stuck in a major city, I plan to find someway to get some golf in.  Chelsea Piers here I come!

Trust me, getting out there and enjoying the sunshine is a much better use of your time than pouring over stats in hope that this is the year you'll finally draft a winning Fantasy Football team.  So hope to see you out there.  I'll be getting my swing on...you'll recognize me by the horrible hooked drive I have going on and the ensuing death glare at my driver. 

Bonding over Sports

You know whats one of the best things about sports?  That it brings people together.  You huddle around the TV with some drinks and some food, rooting for or against a certain team.  And you share the agony of defeat or sweet victory with the people you are watching with.  So when I came home for the weekend, one of the things I was most looking forward to was watching Game 6 between Boston and Chicago on Saturday with my family.

Some of my favorite memories are of me sitting in the family room with my entire family surrounding the TV.  Once we got older, it wasn't often that all of us would be in the house at the same time, what with work, school and sports.  And it's only gotten harder to find time for the whole family to get together now that we live in different spots.  But one thing that always seems to bring us together is sports.  Even if we aren't in the same place, we are often watching the same game.  So we can text each other or call and it's almost as if we are back in that family room, eating the grilled dishes my dad just finished on the grill and watching the game. 

To fully celebrate the family getting together again to cheer on the Boston Bruins, I knew that some good game day appetizers were needed.  And the key to picking out what to serve is making sure you have something for everyone.  In our case, that meant that I needed to have one healthier dish and one classic appetizer.  My choices?  Mustard-Dill Tortellini Salad Skewers and Baked Chicken Nachos Recipe. 

Both turned out amazing, if I do say so myself.  I added some olives and salsa to the recipe I found online for chicken nachos, which definitely added to the taste.  And as for the skewers, they were one of the more unique tasting appetizers I had ever had.  If you are looking for something different, I recommend giving them a try.

The game itself didn't go the way we wanted, as Boston lost.  But with good food and family all around...the game itself was secondary. 

Rained Out

Does This Look Like June To You?

Is there any more depressing situation than when you anxiously watch the Yankees PR Twitter Account to see if the game is cancelled...only to leave for the stadium 30 minutes before Game Time optimistic as no delay has been announced...only to get off the Subway and realize that everyone is going the opposite direction of you as the game has just been cancelled. 

It's the worse feeling in the world.  Not only did you make a trip for nothing...now you have to either battle the insane crowd trying to get back on the subway and go home, or fight with the insane crowds at the surrounding bars hoping to wait out the crazy line to get on the subway car.  So instead of watching Dodgers make their return to NYC, you get to have the pleasure of being pushed on all sides by people desperate to get a beer/make the subway car while sopping wet from an unseasonable rain storm.  Sound like a fair trade to you?

But, never fear.  Where there is distress, there is an opportunity.  You have two options: sulk and return home wet and upset that you didn't get to watch the game, or find the silver lining and find a bar to watch the other amazing sporting events on TV.  Needless to say, I went with option two.

After one beer, which was just long enough to wait out the most crazy of the crowd, Greg and I hopped on the subway and got off at 110th to go Pour House on the Upper West.  Why did we decide to continue with the theme of sports after our initial sports excursion went so wrong you might ask?  Well because, like any true sports fanatic, I knew that there were two amazing games starting at 9pm East Coast time.  USA v. Honduras where the US had an opportunity to win and basically clinch a spot for Brazil 2014, and Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

And you know what? I would have been pretty upset if I had missed either of those games.  Not only did Altidore score a goal for the 4th straight game giving the USA a perfect summer in World Cup qualifying, but last night might have been one of the best NBA Playoff games of all time.  And if the Yankees game had been delayed (which, lets be honest, it should have been as the rain literally stopped 20 minutes after the game should have started so they easily could have gotten it in), I would have missed the experience of being in a packed bar where everyone was actually focused on the two games.  The last 30 minutes at Pour House was amazing.  Everyone was ordering one more round to deal with the constant changing momentum of Heat v. San Antonio, and it was almost like you were in the stadium with the constant groaning, cheering and exclamations of "OH NO HE DID'T" when Ray hit the three to send it into OT.

Would I have wanted to watch the Yankees?  Of course.  But I didn't let a little rain stop me from having a good sports night out.  Moral of the story: Once you're out of the house, don't let a little inclement weather get you down and send you home with no fun memories. Just go to plan B and find something to do.  Who knows...plan B might just being better than plan A ever was.

COLLEGE!

Looks, Feels and Smells Like a College Frat House

There is just something about a dive bar that brings out the college aged kid in all of us.  And Bourbon Street is the Dive Bar of Dive bars nestled in the very un-dive-area of the Upper West Side.  Food?  Nope they don't serve it.  But hey, go to the Pizza next door, bring it into Bourbon and down it with $8 Bud Light pitchers. 

After that first pitcher slides down gently, its time for the fun to begin.  Beirut, flip cup, dirty dancing...you'll find it all here just like you did at those frat parties you visited long ago.  Only planning on having a beer?  This isn't the place to go.  Because trust me, that one beer will turn into two, then three...and before you know its its 3am and you are stumbling out of the door to find a Taxi to bring you home.  Oh, but not before stopping by that Pizza place one more time to grab a slice for the road. 

Adults playing buck hunter...totally normal

Bourbon Street is also a cool place to watch the game.  Not so much if you really want to follow it in detail, as you will be distracted by the 50 year olds groping each other in the middle of the floor (people watching is an art at Bourbon Street...so hilarious) and not really able to completely concentrate on the game.  But if you want to watch it in a place that's full of energy, this is the place for you.  And they do a great job of having the game audio on and then during breaks pumping in songs to get the crowd going.  Not having to listen to commercials?  Come on, you know that's priceless.

All in all, Bourbon Street has turned into one of my favorite bars in all of NYC.  If you are looking to relive your college craziness, head here...that door is as good as a time machine and trust me, before you know it you'll be chugging just like your 18 year old self.  But word to the wise?  Your liver is not an 18 year olds liver anymore, so you'll wake up with a killer hangover.  But hey, if you don't wake up a little nauseous, it really wasn't a good night now was it?

Orgasmic Wings

Part of the fun of watching sports at a bar is that you have the excuse to eat and drink things that you shouldn't really be consuming.  And the best sports bar food out there?  Wings of course!!  So one of the ways you have to judge a sports bar is by the quality of their wings.  And the best wings I have had so far in NYC is easily the wings at Blondies.  How do I know that?  Let's just say however many wings you think you might want...order double that.  Because they are addictive. 

Best wings in NYC

Blondies is probably the best sports bar I have been to in NYC.  It has wall to wall TV's.  And the right game is always on.  And if what you want isn't on?  They will put it on for you.  The bar tenders are always super nice.  So if its a Sunday afternoon and not a huge game, my recommendation is to sit at the bar.  They will always give you free drinks. 

But for playoff games and any NFL game, it gets super crowded in the bar area.  You can't get a drink and you are constantly having people "accidentally"feel you up.  So my recommendation for those big games is to either show up really early to get a seat in the back, or even better, get a reservation. 

So next time you have a hankering for some wings and want to watch the game, make your way to Blondies.  You won't be disappointed. 

Yankee Stadium...A Soccer Paradise

I can get used to going to soccer games in Yankee Stadium.  And judging by the fact that the stadium was super fool, I have a feeling this is going to be a regular occurrence.  And the crowd for Spain v Ireland?  Loud.  Loud would for sure be the best way to describe them.

So we were coming to the stadium a bit late and missed tip off.  And I couldn't help but be surprised that most of the fans were Irish!  We were even given the chance to hear a beautiful rendition of Danny Boy on the subway.  I was for sure expecting Spain to dominate in number of fans.  So imagine my surprise when I walk in...and I'm surrounded by Spain fans.  How was my subway car and the lines to get into the stadium so unrepresentative of the crowd inside.  But then, I realized.  Spain fans got there on time.  Irish fans?  Had a few more drinks of the bar, then arrived fashionably late and happily buzzed.  Which crowd do you think was more fun?

The game itself, not that amazing.  Spain was on another playing level, so Ireland really didn't have pocession at all.  As well, it was a bit frustrating to see Spain fail to finish plays off again and again.  Still, we were treated to a couple beautiful goals by Spain and one AMAZING goal by Ireland that was sadly called off.  

After the game, we wanted to go the bar across the street to watch the US vs Panama game.  We weren't the only people up for an after party.  The Irish fans came in droves to continue to drink and sing Irish songs.  The Spain people who showed up?  Lets just say, they might have been the better soccer players, but they weren't accomplished drinkers. This one Spanish fan in particular started yelling at the US team for no reason whatsoever...leading his girlfriend to attempt to distract him...leading to him in full view of the entire bar to reach under shirt to feel her boobs.  Next time, don't try to go drink for drink with your Irish fans buddy.  You'll regret it.

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