Well! After visiting Israel for 4 days twice this month, its time to get home to hopefully normal routine. This trip was really good, an I'm really happy with how it worked out.
I watched the Pistons lose in the lounge and ate some good food to prep for this trip. There were kids there and i sent a pic to Shifra joking about how parents can let kids into the lounge.
Flight was fine, I landed and Aliza picked me up. Was out much quicker by myself, and met Rachel B and Noam E at the luggage. Aliza took me to Dunkin Donuts, which I promptly ate two of. I then went with Bracha and Adina to bike around the duck pond which was a really fun thing. Then we went to the coolest place - Activate. It is competition/working together with all kinds of things. I can't really explain it so well but it was a great activity I'd love to do again. I then had the most wonderful geshmak shnitzel sandwich at chickies I am still thinking about. From there I went to go chill with Tifarah a little bit, and then took Aliza's car to go to Ayelet's Bat Mitzvah. That was a fun thing I realized the day before, and it was really nice to hang out with the family over there. Bat Mitzvah was fun, I blew our Coke and Pepsi game, but had a great time. I didn't eat anything since I was still too stuffed from the slurpee. Any bat mitzvah that ends in Tatty My King is a good one. From there I drove back to Clifton, listening to the Tiger game and drinking a slurpee.
My alarm rang early the next morning, and I drove in with David into the city for a social security appointment (leftover from last week). I was amazed with how quick and efficient it was. I also walked to the pier 17 where I watched the water early in the day. I took a subway to get a bagel, and walked back through times square. From there I had a great work day, pretty chill. Stopped to get a Pastrami sandwich at mr broadway which was amazing. I got a train back, and we met at Glatt House for dinner (had pad thai just like the pad thai that I ordered for Shifra). I got some Yossi and Leibel books for the kids, read a book called what G-D can't do, reached out to my people at the Tigers, and bought my early access for BP the next day. I then took a great bath and went to sleep.
The next morning I woke up early again. I walked through Times Square all the way up to Central Park, and rented a citi ebike to ride around the park. Was really great, little chilly but felt so great as always. I also got an incredible bagel on Amsterdam Avenue. I then biked back through the city to my office, which was so fun - there is an adrenaline about NYC. I got the day pass too. Shmuel Arye said he couldn't come to the game in the end, so I bought my own ticket.
Work was fine, and I stepped out a little early. (didn't have a real lunch because I wanted to feel comfy spending money at the game, plus I already spent 90$ on pregame access and my awesome seat. I biked over the bridge until Queensboro Plaza, and got on a train to Citi Field. Right when I got there, they were letting our group in for BP. We were the only ones in the stadium besides employees and players. It was really fun to interact with the players and coaches. 2 bullpen guys threw me balls, so did a Mets player, and so did Riley Greene, totally 4. McGonigle tried to but couldn't make the throw on two tries.
I chatted with Riley Greene and also Valdez, asking him if he was starting tomorrow. I didn't catch any homers, I only had a real chance at one but someone got it over my glove which was a bummer. It was so cool watching the left fielders process at the new stadium, fielding balls off the wall, and catching line drive,s fly balls, grounders. It was also very cool to watch batting practice. I texted Dan Dickerson and he told me where to meet him, and the Citi Field employees let me go down once I showed them. It is so fun to have a relationship with the guy I listen to whenever I can, we spoke for a few minutes about the Tigers, Israel, and he even let me record him saying a message to the Israel Lions and Tigers group. I noticed Mcgonigle's family coming on to the field, so I tried to sneak in with them, but wasn't able to go too far. I met Mrs. Met, watched Flaherty warm up in the bullpen, watched the catcher drills. I got some food and went down confidently to 114 behind the mets dugout in the 7th row. Note to self: Unless the mets are sold out, pretty easy to go into sections holding food and not be asked where your ticket is. What an incredible place to watch a game. After a while I found Yosh and Abe and watched a few innings with them. Then I wanted to go to my seat, which was mid level directly behind home plate. I realized that Jason Benetti was right behind me, so I wrote on a sign Hi Jason - your friend from Israel, and at a commercial break I asked Andy Dirks to call Jason. Jason remembered exactly who I was and we chatted for a little and then took a pic. The game itself was very embarrassing, losing to the lowly mets 10-2, and playing poor defense, poor baserunning, and coaching moves that pissed me off. But I love baseball, and the Tigers, so it was a fun day. The pregame stuff was very cool. Next time, stand on stairs for mobility. Then I figured out how to get back to Aliza, she picked me up from the stop, and that was all for that day.
Wednesday was supposed to be my most important day in America. I had a big presentation of training I was supposed to do, and thank Gd it went really well. Team was pretty clown away. Also our rep at Apollo flew from Boston to meet us and show us the features - very well received. Also, Kristi and I picked up Mr. Broadway - the Pastrami Burger was so heavenly I am still thinking about it. To get to the game, I dropped my bag off at Kristi's hotel (I stayed downstairs and made her bring it up), and then we took the subway. She told me her mind blowing story which I had never heard of about Korean - Americans in her age group.
We got to the game, missed the 2 run single Riley Greene hit, and those were the only two runs. We had 80$ to spend each from Justt - it was a really special evening and hanging out with the team. And it was my first ever walk off game I went to - just wished it wasn't against my team. But I also got to meet Danielle Bruce in the middle of a Bruce hunt, and on the broadcast you can see her waving back at me and recognizing I was there. We spoke for a couple, took a selfie. At some point I went to go get merch for kids, because one person on our team didn't come and Deb decided I should get the voucher to buy gifts for my kids. After that, for the last few innings, I went all the way down, and ended up sitting in the second row behind the dugout. Unfortunately we lost but it was very cool. I got an uber back from the hotel I picked my bag up (also had no cell or internet since my plan ended (30 day I purchased from London). I showered and went to sleep.
Thursday morning I woke up, davened, hung out with the girls, sat with Mo and Tif and then went to breakfast with Moshe, stopped at Aisle One for sprinkles, and went back to Aliza. I finally packed, took an uber to Newark, sat in the lounge for a big, and am now boarding the plane. Weird to be away for Yom Yerushalayim, but at least our plane city is Yerushalayim Shel Zahav which is cool.
May it be a great trip. Excited to home for a while, with no planned flights now.
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