New York, Take 2 (Vol. IX)
"It's OK, I can walk to the curb from here"
Alright, this is going to be an abridged version of what I typed last night and had wiped out. My third trip to NYC and my first that was a true vacation:
Wednesday: Kinton and I left around 9, ate at Cracker Barrel, arrived in the city around 4:30, and I checked into the Mount Royal Inn (94th and West End). I went to the Midtown Hilton for a Pitt Alumni reception and to wait for Dexter. Turns out the most interesting people I met there weren't Pitt grads, but a trio of Canadian businessmen. Thanks to them for buying me a number of drinks, and by the time Dexter got there and we left for the game, I was good and loose. So we arrived at Madison Square Garden, bought tickets from a guy selling them out of one of those fundraiser boxes of candy--you know, the ones from middle school--and saw Pitt 61, Louisville 56. After that we went to Rosie O'Grady's (52nd and 7th)--props to Eddie the bartender for looking out for us during the week--and celebrated with all the Pitt fans.
Thursday: Rain in the morning kept me in. Met up with Kinton and The Pitt News gang for good eats at Spanky's BBQ (43rd between Broadway and 6th). Ribs... got that itis! Went to the game solo and saw Pitt 67, West Virginia 58. O'Grady's followed after a good beef kebab on the way there.
Friday: Walked the roughly 4 miles from my hotel to Times Square via Central Park. Went into the Toys 'r' Us with the ferris wheel in the store and then met Dexter at ESPNZone for dinner and the game. After a lot of waiting, an epic NBA Showtime battle and Pitt 68, Villanova 54, headed out to Latitude (don't remember the exact address... 48th and 8th?), the Spy Club (19th between 5th and 6th)--which I loved for the decorations with Sean Connery, Don Adams, et al.--and after we had our fill of the club scene, back to where else? Rosie O'Grady's.
Saturday: Checked out of the hotel at 11 a.m., killed time during the day, including lunch at the Hello Deli (53rd and Broadway). Rupert fixed me the "Letterman"--ham, turkey, cheese, mayo, O&V (Held the lettuce, tomato and peppers). Planned to walk from Times Square to the old World Trade Center site, but didn't leave myself enough time and had to catch the train back from the village around 7:00. Still, got another long walk in--I did the rough math, and I figure I walked around 12 miles this week. Met Dex at Friday's and we watched Syracuse 55, Pitt 51.. bah. Off to O'Grady's for one drink, there was a cool Irish duo playing there, so I stayed and listened to midnight, then I went back to the car and drove off for Sunday: in Atlantic City. No line break because I didn't sleep. Hit the Taj Mahal and went to a 1-2 No Limit Hold 'em table. Put $100 in play, built it up to $220, then had my heart broken. I had AA, smooth called at $15 raise on the button... two of us to the flop. Flop: Kd 6c 2d. The other guy leads out with $25. I play up I'm thinking... stare at the board a lot like I'm thinking about flush drawing. Finally I raise to $75. He pushes all-in, I think for a short time and call. The guy bought my act--he pushed with 88. Turn: Q, river: 8! So there goes my hard-earned $220. I go to blackjack and pai gow for a while, build up another $100ish, make a few sucker bets on roulette, and enter a $80+20 No Limit Hold 'em tournament. The tournament killed me, because I got no cards, had to claw and scratch my way through, eventually crashing out, probably in the 60s of 101 players. Hopped in the car, started the drive back, took a three hour nap at a rest area (I just don't have the stamina for all-nighters anymore... not with intense card games and 3 mile walks in it.), and then I was back here to put up Vol. VIII on early Monday morning. Then I slept until 3 p.m. this afternoon. No stamina... I'm such an old man. Arrgh!
In recent news, I did turn a $35 profit playing cards tonight (-$5 at Hold 'em, +$40 at Omaha--love that game) after being back at work at the Trib. That's a good night to me. Now to hit publish before the computer pulls some more weird s**t.
Alright, this is going to be an abridged version of what I typed last night and had wiped out. My third trip to NYC and my first that was a true vacation:
Wednesday: Kinton and I left around 9, ate at Cracker Barrel, arrived in the city around 4:30, and I checked into the Mount Royal Inn (94th and West End). I went to the Midtown Hilton for a Pitt Alumni reception and to wait for Dexter. Turns out the most interesting people I met there weren't Pitt grads, but a trio of Canadian businessmen. Thanks to them for buying me a number of drinks, and by the time Dexter got there and we left for the game, I was good and loose. So we arrived at Madison Square Garden, bought tickets from a guy selling them out of one of those fundraiser boxes of candy--you know, the ones from middle school--and saw Pitt 61, Louisville 56. After that we went to Rosie O'Grady's (52nd and 7th)--props to Eddie the bartender for looking out for us during the week--and celebrated with all the Pitt fans.
Thursday: Rain in the morning kept me in. Met up with Kinton and The Pitt News gang for good eats at Spanky's BBQ (43rd between Broadway and 6th). Ribs... got that itis! Went to the game solo and saw Pitt 67, West Virginia 58. O'Grady's followed after a good beef kebab on the way there.
Friday: Walked the roughly 4 miles from my hotel to Times Square via Central Park. Went into the Toys 'r' Us with the ferris wheel in the store and then met Dexter at ESPNZone for dinner and the game. After a lot of waiting, an epic NBA Showtime battle and Pitt 68, Villanova 54, headed out to Latitude (don't remember the exact address... 48th and 8th?), the Spy Club (19th between 5th and 6th)--which I loved for the decorations with Sean Connery, Don Adams, et al.--and after we had our fill of the club scene, back to where else? Rosie O'Grady's.
Saturday: Checked out of the hotel at 11 a.m., killed time during the day, including lunch at the Hello Deli (53rd and Broadway). Rupert fixed me the "Letterman"--ham, turkey, cheese, mayo, O&V (Held the lettuce, tomato and peppers). Planned to walk from Times Square to the old World Trade Center site, but didn't leave myself enough time and had to catch the train back from the village around 7:00. Still, got another long walk in--I did the rough math, and I figure I walked around 12 miles this week. Met Dex at Friday's and we watched Syracuse 55, Pitt 51.. bah. Off to O'Grady's for one drink, there was a cool Irish duo playing there, so I stayed and listened to midnight, then I went back to the car and drove off for Sunday: in Atlantic City. No line break because I didn't sleep. Hit the Taj Mahal and went to a 1-2 No Limit Hold 'em table. Put $100 in play, built it up to $220, then had my heart broken. I had AA, smooth called at $15 raise on the button... two of us to the flop. Flop: Kd 6c 2d. The other guy leads out with $25. I play up I'm thinking... stare at the board a lot like I'm thinking about flush drawing. Finally I raise to $75. He pushes all-in, I think for a short time and call. The guy bought my act--he pushed with 88. Turn: Q, river: 8! So there goes my hard-earned $220. I go to blackjack and pai gow for a while, build up another $100ish, make a few sucker bets on roulette, and enter a $80+20 No Limit Hold 'em tournament. The tournament killed me, because I got no cards, had to claw and scratch my way through, eventually crashing out, probably in the 60s of 101 players. Hopped in the car, started the drive back, took a three hour nap at a rest area (I just don't have the stamina for all-nighters anymore... not with intense card games and 3 mile walks in it.), and then I was back here to put up Vol. VIII on early Monday morning. Then I slept until 3 p.m. this afternoon. No stamina... I'm such an old man. Arrgh!
In recent news, I did turn a $35 profit playing cards tonight (-$5 at Hold 'em, +$40 at Omaha--love that game) after being back at work at the Trib. That's a good night to me. Now to hit publish before the computer pulls some more weird s**t.
posted by Grubba | 12:46 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home