A Perfect Day at the Ballpark... Except for One (Big) Thing

For reasons that nobody in my family, including me, really understands, I became a hardcore sports fan when I was 10. Every morning, I would make a beeline for the sports pages. I could recite  all sorts of random statistics at the drop of a hat. My bedroom walls were lined with sports posters. My family thought I was some sort of alien.

If my father had cared about sports, it's possible I would have ended up a Pirates fan, but he didn't, so I chose my teams. And, as would be the case with almost any kid choosing their loyalties from New York, I chose the Knicks and the Yankees, because in those days, they were the ones who were winning. (Yes, I know. I have paid dearly for those Knicks teams of the 90s in recent years.)

Over time, my obsession wained and became more of a hobby. I still pay attention, but if you asked me to name, say, C.C. Sabathia's ERA, I would certainly not be able to summon that information from anywhere in my brain. But because this was the summer of the Bucket List, I made sure to head to Yankees Stadium. My friend Yossi, who is (along with his wife Brooke) among the hardest of the core, was kind enough to accompany to a day game on a BEAUTIFUL day the last week of August.

One of the things I liked best about the Yankees, even as a kid (besides, you know, all of the winning) was how classy they were. Mariana Rivera (hence my t-shirt), Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams-- those core guys stayed out of the tabloids, kept their heads down, and got things done. As a mediocre athlete with a strong sense of sportsmanship, I think that appealed to me. So it was fun, before the game, to head with Yossi into Monument Park, where so many Yankees of that era have had their numbers retired. Even if it also made me feel sort of old. But also like I got to watch players I might tell my kids about one day. Hate on the Yankees, as I'm sure many of you do and will, but you have admit that they have history.

The perfect day for some mediocre baseball.

 The weather was perfect. Monument Park was so cool. There were kosher pretzels and ice cream. The recipe for a dream day at the ball park. Except...

The Yankees forgot how to play baseball for the fifth inning. They remembered again later in the game, but by then it was too late. And, as happened earlier this week in the Wild Card game, the Astros just totally shut them down. It was not pretty, the score was not close, and even that score suggested it was closer than it was. Oh well.

But part of being a true fan is picking your head up and carrying on. So I am doing my best to get my nephews (and niece, when she's older) to cheer for the Yanks. Because their father is a Red Sox fan, and that just won't do.

Pinstripes forever! See you at Spring Training.

And because this is a fashion blog, at least theoretically... Yes, I am wearing red pants! It took me a long time to get up the courage, but now I have somehow managed to accumulate two pairs. Go figure. These are the casual ones. I love them.

Also, yes, my Converse have holes in them. I know, they're disgusting. One day I will throw them out. It turns out Converse aren't supposed to last 10 years. But man, do I love them so...

What I'm wearing: LOFT cropped khakis (similar here), Yankees t-shirt (similar here), '47 baseball hat (similar here), Converse sneakers (not made in this color anymore, but similar here)

Summer Bucket List: Take Me Out to the Ball Game #1

I am now officially halfway done with the bucket list! I am so successful at having fun, guys!

I'm behind on the blog a bit, so I haven't written about all 12 things yet, but consider this the next step. Two weeks ago, I went with a bunch of friends to see the Brooklyn Cyclones.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Cyclones, they are a class-A short season farm team for the Mets. So as far as baseball goes... well, they're not the best. In this particular instance, they had more errors than runs. And it wasn't because there was a shut-out.

However, there's something really fun about minor league baseball. First, the tickets are way cheap, and there aren't really any bad seats, so that's cool. Second, because the baseball isn't great, they do all sorts of ridiculous and kitschy things between innings which are just hilarious to keep people entertained. Third, the stadium is really nice in this case, with a view of the Coney Island amusement park and the beach. And finally, you don't really care who wins, so there's none of the stress that fans sometimes feel at Major League games.

When the Cyclones first started playing, all of their games would sell out, because it was the first professional baseball in Brooklyn since the Dodgers had left in the 1950s. (Hence the Jackie Robinson and PeeWee Reese statue behind me.) Now, the stadium is much emptier, but it means you can choose to go on an impulse. Other bright side: kosher food! Yes, it's not cheap, but it's not any more expensive than other stadium food, and I love it when I can feel like a normal person and eat at public events.

When going to a baseball game, it is important to be dressed for the occasion, and for the sun and heat. So baseball caps and comfortable shoes are a must. And meanwhile, I got to wear my super fun Parks and Rec t-shirt! If you don't get the reference, then you should stop reading and go learn about the wonder that is Leslie Knope immediately. No, but really.

This is where the mascot flirted with me and I got
sort of freaked out. Awks.

And coming soon: my trip to the Staten Island Yankees. So much minor league baseball, so little time.

Have you experienced the fun of minor league baseball? What do you do for summer fun on the weekend?

What I'm wearing: GAP khakis, Look Human Little Sebastian shirt, Chacos sandals, '47 Yankees hat

Notorious!

Who here loves Ruth Bader Ginsburg? (Raise your hand!)

I thought so.
This is my Notorious RBG t-shirt. As you can probably see in the pictures, it's a little too big. I'm hoping it will shrink in the laundry. However, I couldn't wait to wear it.

You see, after each comp, I've done a nice thing for myself, whether buying something or doing an activity. This was my post-comp #5 present to myself and I was VERY excited when it arrived. So much so that I took a picture and sent it to my friend Jenn, who might love RBG even more than me. Plus? The shirt is so soft! Yay! (I sort of wonder if I should buy my mom, Ruth, a "You Can't Handle the Ruth shirt. We'll see.)

My friend Deborah proved to be an excellent photographer. These are some of our action shots. Sorry that I still don't know how to have my picture taken.

I'm not sure you can totally see my sneakers. They're plaid Converse Chuck Taylors and I love them. They also may or may not be from when I was in college, and they may or not have holes in them. But they don't make this print anymore, so I insist on continuing to wear them, even though they're sort of gross.

I'm still working on my comp #6 reward. It's a little more complicated with the spending freeze, but I do want to do something. Any suggestions? Happy Sunday, friends!

What I'm wearing: Notorious RBG t-shirt, Mossimo hoodie (similar here), Lucky Brand jeans via TJ Maxx, Converse sneakers (similar here), Goody sweatband.