e,,I was lucky enough (and I know I use that adjective often) to have gone to the old Yankees Stadium. The house that Ruth built. I spent four years in college working on my Sports Marketing degree (because, duh) and as a congratulations gift for surviving/graduating, my parents thought I should visit a town I’ve always dreamed of. I always assumed that business degrees went to New York to thrive. The city that never sleeps- that is full of possibilities, and one hell of a baseball team (sorry Mets). They offered me a trip to NY and tickets to a Yankees game. So, let me get this straight- they paid for the majority of my college education and then wanted to thank me for graduating by sending me to baseball mecca? I’m not gonna argue it. At that time my friends weren’t the type that enjoyed baseball, none the less, a bunch of broke college kids couldn’t afford to go to their home town bars- without dollar pitchers, none the less New York. So I ventured to the Bronx with my mom and, the trooper she was, we took the Yankee Clipper from our hotel to the stadium. She sat with me as I hooted, hollered and consumed beers that cost as much as a college text book, all in the name of love. Maybe that’s where I fell more in love with baseball, travel, or my mom. You be the judge. (Editor’s note: this was during the “Jeter gives autographed baseballs to his lady suitors” scandal and my mom bought a shirt with the tagline “My mom went to a Yankees game and all she got was this lousy t-shirt”)  Thanks mom.

Kev and I soon realized that if you’re going to travel out of town- go big or go home. So when we decided Yankees Stadium was on our list- we thought, “why not make this 4 day trip a 3 game streak?”  So we went to Yankees Stadium (Aaron Judge hit two bombs and it was a scorching 100 degrees outside), Citi Field- they were playing my boys in blue but RAN OUT OF HOT DOGS IN OUR SECTION. But that’s another story, and Fenway (their hot dogs have white bread for buns) is a baseball fan must-see. So we decided to travel to the East coast during a heat wave and sit outside for 27 innings and watch baseball? Yup.  Oh, and 27 innings apparently wasn’t enough- the last game of three went into extras, so that turned into 30 innings in 3 days, and the first game included a 13 run pounding that lasted well over the game time average of 5 beers & 1 hot dog and 6 selfies.

Yankees Stadium

There’s not much to do around the actual stadium other than some quick Instagram photos and a bar called Billy’s. Which is massive and kinda lack luster. We did do the subway to and from games, which is the only way to go in that town. So get a map, download the app, ask a native- just use public transit. Don’t waste your time with a cab. It was a blazing hot New York afternoon and we plunked ourselves in the outfield to catch a baseball matinee. Well, after going one for one with our beer to water ratio, we realized we should probably get out of the sun for a little bit. We made our way into the shade of the outfield concourse only to turn back to see Aaron Judge rock a homerun to our section. To be fair, we wouldn’t have caught it, but still kinda stinks that my pale complexion led us to sit in the shade for a few innings.

Anyways- we continued to enjoy the first game of our three game road trip in the only way we know how… fast forward to us moving in and out of the sun filled outfield seats to the air conditioned stadium club level and you’ll get the picture. Was this where the bar was attached and you could go back and forth)

Citi Field

Let me take a second to marvel at our seats and the fact that we were hundreds of miles away from Chicago, and somehow that stadium was half Cubs’ fans. Again, not a ton to do outside the stadium, but when you’re on a three day baseball bender, you don’t need much else besides comfy shoes, deodorant and a soft pillow to crash in between games.

I will say that our seats were amazing. Kevin enjoys sitting in the higher up sections directly above home plate. Foul ball heaven. And despite the fact that we’ve been to countless games, we have never caught a foul ball. And you better believe when he does, he will not be handing it off to a kid sitting in our section. He will be the one tackling a child for a ball. Ah, my man, the teacher, the gentleman the fanatic.

So even though the Cubs won, our seats were great and we met the cutest older couple that was also following the Cubs to various stadiums, let’s go back to what’s really important: They ran out of hot dogs. This is not a drill. They were full of people from a town built on encased meat that’s been drug thru the garden and slapped on a poppy seed bun- and they ran out of the essentials. Now I can’t speak to the whole stadium, but in our section, I waited for what seemed like years only to find out they were out. Whatever- it’s probably not any good anyways. (Just like your pizza- can’t live up to Chicago style.)

So our team lost, I didn’t get a hot dog, but I did get to enjoy the red-headed step child of New York baseball- the Mets. Now to hop back on the subway, and rest up before game 3 of this baseball trio.

Fenway

We met up with our friends who live in Boston and had a wicked good time at the game. The nostalgia is overwhelming, and this coming from a woman who literally could throw a rock and hit the Wrigley Field marquee from her home/work for over 11 years. There’s tons to do and see around the ballpark before and after the games, but as you know, I’m partial to dive bars.  Now let’s talk about inside the park. A Fenway Frank is legit a hot dog on white bread. Not my cup of tea, but don’t knock it til you try it. Ok, I tried it. I wasn’t a fan. But again, that’s what we’re here to do. Eat, drink and watch baseball, and appearantly sing Sweet Caroline. (Not sure why?) Note about the venue –the seats are the original seats from when the ballpark was built. They are small and don’t have cup holders. Fast forward 80 years to where gluttony is a way of life, and it’s hard to juggle all your items while watching the game. Still a great time.  I’ll be back here for another game (or ten) in my lifetime. Eventually I’ll watch it from atop the Green Monstah. (This was not my first trip to Fenway- I was able to go twice before and once I actually took the stadium tour. Do it. It’s soooo worth it for any baseball fan to hear the background of a beautiful stadium like the one that calls Boston home.) Now we are in our 27th inning of baseball in less than 36 hours and wouldn’t you guess it- they go into extra innings. Three extra innings the Red Sox needed to seal the deal. Any other game, I have no problem with this. But it’s hot. I’ve sat thru 30 innings of baseball in as many hours and the one team I was rooting for served up a big L. I was ready to Chicago. And I was ready now.