Yes, this really happened...

One week later…

It still seems like a dream at times (though, thanks to the MLB Network, and sfgiants.com, I can see the games and highlights as often as I want!)

My childhood baseball team, a team that was really bad during my formative years, playing in a cold, windy ballpark, a team that constantly teased us, be it 1971, when they won the West on the last day of the season, but had to use their ace pitcher, thus making the best-of-five LCS no contest for the eventual champion Pittsburgh Pirates;

Or, 1978, when I was 13, and they stayed in first place for most of the summer, only to fade down the stretch…Mom actually thought I was going to have my first ulcer…

Or, 1982, when I was 17, and, thanks to a Ron Pruitt bloop, they got to within a game of the lead going into the final weekend, only to have Rick Monday ruin things on a Fred Breining fork ball that didn’t dip…Joe Morgan then knocked the Dodgers out on the last day of the season…

Or, 1987, when, in game 6 of the LCS, with the Giants needing one win to advance to the World Series, Candy Maldonado lost a line drive in the lights, leading to the only run of the game, and then Jose Oquendo ruined Atlee Hammaker for all Giants fans…BTW, we would have KILLED the Twins in the Series…ah, well…

Or, 1989, when the earth moved, and the A’s rattled the Giants’ pitching staff in 4 quick games…

Or, 1993…sigh…Salomon Torres was the best (?) option on the final day of the season…

Or, 1997…attended my first playoff game (Thanks, Jim C.!), only to see Devon White ruin the season…until we were walking back to the car, and a group yelled out “AT LEAST WE BEAT THE DODGERS!”, to which we all answered “YEAH! AT LEAST WE BEAT THE DODGERS!”

Or, 2000…first year at Pac Bell, best record in the NL, only to have fellow Filipino Benny Agbayani take Aaron Fultz deep, and then we only get one hit off of Bobby Freakin’ Jones…

Or, 2002…yeah, that happened…

Or, 2003…when we were introduced to Mad Dog Russo on the west coast…

Earlier this year, my family and I moved from the Bay Area to Connecticut; I joked with a friend as the Giants stayed within range of the Padres that it would be my luck that the Giants would win the whole thing the year I’m not there to experience it first hand. Now, the internet, as I’ve told many a relative and friend, does make the move not as traumatic, as I can keep up with family and friends through the many myriads of social networks. The only thing the internet cannot duplicate is feeling, and, as I sat there with my wife, watching Brian Wilson nail it down, I was somewhat at peace with not being in my hometown to watch the Giants win it all. Of course, once Nelson Cruz swung and missed, I yelled my head off (much to the chagrin of my 4-year old), called the family, and Facebooked my feelings of the night.

Every day after winning the Series, I checked in at mlb.com to see highlights, and the MLB Network was awash with Giants replays, so the happy feelings continued. It was only today, 8 days after the fact, that I watched the home run, and watched the strikeout, and listening to Joe Buck rattle off the names of the Giants that never got the chance to win the series in San Francisco, that I began to tear up…then, remembering that my brother went to my grandparent’s, mother’s and aunt’s tombstones to celebrate with them, a profound sense of sadness came over me…

Sports do seem silly to some, and believe me, living right between Boston and New York has heightened my passion for my home town teams. Sports, for my family and I, brings us all together, be it watching Dwight Clark rising to snare “The Catch”, watching my sister go nuts after a double overtime Sharks win, following the “We Believe” Warriors of 06-07. This victory, however, trumps them all. My dad and grandpa taught me about baseball, and the Giants. I still remember grandpa telling me to finish my sandwich before the first pitch, so that I can watch everything on the field at Candlestick. Mike Krukow had it right at the victory parade, when he had us remember those who introduced us to the national pastime. This victory was a tribute to them, and for that, I will be forever grateful for the 2010 San Francisco Giants – World Series Champions.

P.S. – I know there is supposed to be a 5 to 10 year grace period after winning a World Series, but after Buster Posey’s little speech at the victory celebration “Let’s enjoy this today, tomorrow, for a week or even a month, but let’s get back to work and make another run at it.”, I AM PUMPED!!!!

(Now, if they can get a quality bat for Jonathan Sanchez…)

I don't know how the rest of the post-season will go, but...

Geez - two months since the last post, eh?

It's a little past midnight here in West Hartford, and the house is quiet; spouse-asleep, son-asleep, while I, lifelong San Francisco Giants fan, I am energized; seeing your favorite pitcher on your favorite team set a franchise mark with 14 strikeouts, winning a 1-0 game, well, that'll get your adrenalin pumpling.

I know, I know - there are 10 more victories to attain, but, at least for a night/early morning, I feel really good about our chances.

Thank you, Tim-may, and good night...

A BIG Connection to my old hometown

What - did you think it was food?

For the un-initiated, follow me on a timeline from birth to now:

*1965 - year I was born, Willie Mays is the MVP (.317 BA, 52 HR, 111 RBI), and Juan Marichal clocks the Dodgers John Roseboro on the head with his bat, setting off a near riot at Candlestick;

*1970 - the 49ers win their first Division championship, shock the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota in the playoffs, then lose to frickin' Dallas at Kezar Stadium for the right to go to Super Bowl V;

*1971 - The last hurrah for Mays, McCovey, and Marichal, as the Giants win the division on the last day of the season; sadly, Pittsburgh and the great Roberto Clemente knock the Giants out in the LCS, 3 games to 1

*1972 - The last hurrah for John Brodie, who comes off the bench in the final game of the regular season for an ineffective Steve Spurrier, and rallies the 49ers in the fourth quarter, hitting Dick
Witcher with the winning TD pass with about 30 seconds left; the Niners would then blow a 28-16 4th quarter lead to frickin' Dallas in the opening round of the playoffs, which hurt, but probably not as much as Raider fans hurt that day...

*1975 - The Golden State Warriors win their lone NBA championship, relying on an ego-maniac, a gravelly voiced coach, and quite possibly the best team play the NBA has ever seen (Russell's Celtics and the 69-70 Knicks are probably the only better examples)

*1978 - The Giants have a renaissance, stay in first much of the year, and cause my first bout of heartache late in the season as they fade from contention

*1981 - This happens...at the time, the happiest day of my life...little did we know that it would be the start of the most dominant stretch of NFL football by one franchise

*1982 - The Giants break my heart again (lefty Al Holland, ready to go in the bullpen, but Frank Robinson leaves righty Fred Breining to face Dodger slugger Rick Monday, a lefty, and Monday crushes a grand slam to really knock the Giants out of the race-fortunately, the Giants answer

*1983 - 49ers are ROBBED by the refs in the NFC championship game, with two questionable calls going against them, and the Redskins go to the Super Bowl, where they get spanked

*1984 - Now, THAT'S more like it!

*1985 - The 49ers trade up in the draft, move one slot ahead of Dallas, and take the player the Cowboys wanted - a wide receiver from Mississippi Valley State, Jerry Rice

*1987 - The Giants win their first division title in 16 years, hold a 3 games to 2 lead in the LCS, then fail to score a run in the final two games; I've never seen my Mom madder then when Atlee Hammaker gave up a 3-run homer in Game 7 to Jose Oquendo

*1988 - The 49ers win their 3rd Super Bowl, thanks to key plays during the season, and the greatest drive to win a Super Bowl

*1989 - Great year for the Bay Area, as the Giants win the pennant, the A's win the pennant, and the 49ers dominate the NFL, culminating in the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history

*1990 - Alas, no three-peat for the 49ers; thank you, Leonard Marshall...

*1992 - I attend what was thought to be the last San Francisco Giant game ever, and I admit, it was very, very dusty that day...

*1993 - Thanks to Peter Magowan, there would be Giants baseball in San Francisco for years and years to come; oh, they also signed a free agent that winter, Barry something...

*1994 - Niners win their 5th Super Bowl, becoming the first team to reach that milestone; this is the funnest team of the five, with so many characters (Ricky Watters, William Floyd, and the one and only Prime Time)

*1997 - Brian Johnson, anyone?

*1998 - The Catch, part II

*1999 - Giants play their last game at Candlestick Park

*2000 - Giants begin play at Pac Bell Park, win the division, but fall to the Mets in the LDS

*2001 - That Barry guy for the Giants? Bigger, stronger, hits 73 HRs*

*2002 - 49ers provide fans with the biggest comeback in playoff history; the Giants? Still can't talk about game 6 of the World Series without getting very angry.

*2003 - Giants knocked out by Florida in the LDS; my feelings? Best expressed here.

*2007 - The Warriors make an appearance! Great post-season run, highlighted by this. And the Barry guy ends his career*

And now? Well, the Giants have pieces in place, but still need a bat; the 49ers seem to be the "sexy" pick out of the NFC West this year; the Warriors?

Yes, I like my teams; not only for what they've done in the past, but what they continue to do, but most importantly, the teams are a link to where I'm from, and continue to identify with; I can only hope my little one continues to exhibit the same enthusiasm I have for these ever-changing groups of athletes as I will always show.

OMG! It's been a month! Start Cooking!

Sooooooooooooooooo...one month in.................

(No, I haven't gone loco yet...)

As with any move, there are adjustments to be made; with a move like this (cross country), well, several additional adjustments have been made, like the internal clock is now pretty much running on East Coast Time, with the only hiccups coming when I want to listen to a Giants baseball game from the west coast that starts at 10:15 here...

Keep it up, Buster; keep it up!

Now that the house is in order, the cooking has picked up, some; typical stuff (stir fries, pasta marinara), some great buys from Trader Joe's (the chicken burgers? yum!), and, as always, Zach friendly stuff (Easy Mac, chix nuggets, Spaghetti-o's)

One bit I had forgetten was the same product/different name thing here; to wit:

west coast - oroweat/east coast - arnold
west coast - Dreyer's/east coast - Edy's
west coast - Best Foods/east coast - Hellman's

I'm sure there are others, but my mind escapes me...

I have found a couple of asian markets, quite a number of european markets, and, when I feel very adventurous, I'll make treks out to Hartford to check out the Jamaican/Caribbean stores to get my fill of delicious patties, jerk chicken, etc, and hopefully the resources to make them at home.

Besides some of the obvious food items that I miss from San Francisco (Graffeo Coffee, Boudin Sourdough, dungeness crab), the biggest two items not here that would make me feel so at home right now would have to be the chicken katsu lunch plate, and the mega-stuffed burrito:















That sound you hear? Everyone in my family on the west coast calling in their order to either L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, or their favorite burrito place.

I know a lot of you are thinking "Robert, you are a trained effin chef after all - make it yourself!", and to that I reply "true, but, still..."

Once the work situation rights itself (and it looks to be happening very soon!), then I'll be able to work tortillas, panko, short grain japanese rice, carne asada, avocados, etc., into the budget, and try to replicate the tastes that I'm missing.

Oh, and a quick note regarding cheap chinese food here - just not the same...

So, having taken out all the cookbooks, as well as all my culinary school binders, there should be no excuses about missing any of the above foods, since I have a pretty spacious kitchen from which I can turn out all kinds of yummy good things; I recently introduced the east coast relatives to my favorite brownies of all time, and, with some birthdays coming up, there will be ample opportunities to showcase my favorite brunch items, dinner items, and baked goods.

Till next time...

Two weeks in, and so far, so good...

Week one in Connecticut; excitement, anticipation, a bit of worry. Excitement and anticipation of a new chapter in our lives, a bit of worry as far as me getting a job quickly - I have been hearing absolute horror stories of friends who've had a difficult time finding employment in this current economy. Fortunately for me, I am still employed on a limited basis, working enough hours to cover the cost of my health care premiums, and for that I am eternally grateful.

When we arrived at JFK, we rented a car for the week, hoping that our car would arrive before Sunday the 9th; the car did not arrive, but my father-in-law offered one of his cars for us to use, so on Saturday we made the trek to New Jersey for the night; spent the night in Cranford, and, thanks to my mother-in-law, my wife and I got to see this:

You still look great, Tina...

Funny, could have been funnier, but a good vehicle for the two stars...and, for those who don't know, I am a HUGE fan of Ms. Fey - HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE...

So, the next morning, after a delicious breakfast at my favorite bagel shop in the world (suck it, Noah's!), we made the long trek from Cranford/Westfield, New Jersey, back to JFK to drop off the car, quickly followed by a day long excursion here:



YES! CITI FIELD! GIANTS V. METS! WITH TIM-MAY PITCHING!!!

This turned out to be a game that reminded this Candlestick old-timer of chilly, chilly nights in Bayview/Hunters Point; it was gusting all day, it felt like a 45-50 degree game, though this little guy didn't care;

(Uh, Gap Kids...will you HIRE MY SON? I mean, LOOK AT HIM!)

As for the game, it was great for a while, with Lincecum shutting up the Citi Field patrons time and again, and it looked good with the Giants up 4-0 in the 6th inning, which is when my mother-in-law said:

"well, it looks good for you now, doesn't it?"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Of course two innings later, a misjudged fly ball and sacrifice fly spelled a 5-4 deficit for the Jints going into the eighth, when the Giants had a runner on and Aaron Rowand at the plate.

What is interesting about Citi Field is that at that time of the day, the wind was gusting toward right center field; I read a lot about Candlestick's early days, and that Willie Mays adjusted his swing so that he could drive the ball toward right-center, right field, because that was he best chance to hit one out. Well, Rowand channelled that theory, because he hit one that, from our seats, just cleared the fence in right-center for a go-ahead home run! There was a smattering of Giants fans in our area, and, needless to say, we went bonkers! We even had a couple of pickles thrown at us, so you know WE WERE LOUD!

We were too cold to stay for the rest of the game, but saw the highlights; Brian Wilson flashing his nasty stuff, the wind playing with Uribe and Rowand, and David Wright losing his mind; so, after back-to-back walk-off losses, a win for the Giants, in what will probably be the only time I see them live this year - good times.

This never did look right...

Thank you for a great day, TIM-MAY!

And, so ended our first week on the east coast; week two consisted of getting our car (WOOT!), getting our stuff from movers (WOOT! WOOT!), and getting set up with Comcast - which has not gone as smoothly as I'd hope, though, of course, I'm posting today, so I got that going for me, which is nice...the house is almost done, and I hope to post pics next time around.

Also, there may be an opportunity to start cooking again; keep your fingers crossed, everyone.