Event #5: Citifield

I had been waiting for this for over two years:  the opening of Citifield.  There are not many times in life when you can anticipate something so much and yet still be shocked having underestimated the excitement of it all, and yet this is what happened for me on Sunday when I went to Citifield.

I know I am partial, but Citifield is the most beautiful baseball stadium I have ever seen.  The architecture is classy yet dramatic.  I love the green steel against the burnt color of the brick.  The wide open walkways opening up onto the bright green grass.  Plasma TVs scatter the stadium, combining a modern feel while the park feels old and traditional.  There are so many open areas to sit, eat, drink, hangout, talk, and mingle.  It is just a welcoming atmosphere that promotes socializing, relaxing, and enjoying yourself.

There are amazing new features such as as a kids area with a dunk tank, mini baseball field, and batting cage, bars scattered around so you can have a drink while watching the game without being stuck in your seats, fantastic restaurants and lounges and more.  However, there are great memories of Shea, with the old home run apple on display and the skyline on top of the old scoreboard placed on top of the gourmet food stands.  A mix of old and new.

And now for a topic on its own- the food.  WOW!  My goal was to sample as much as possible, and I think I did what I came to do.  We tried the old bay fries with cheddar dipping sauce from the seafood stand, a shake shack burger and hot dog (incredible), a slice of the Grandma pizza (no words to describe this, one of the best slices I have had...I promise), and the taco sampler (the flank steak one was the best).  I didn't get around to the Blue Smoke stand- I will 

save that one for Opening Day.  There were a million more things I wanted to try, including the belgium french fry stand, the sausage stand, and a shake shack shake.  All in good time.

I don't care if you like baseball or not- you need to come see this stadium.  There is something for everyone.  You can just come for dinner, to walk around, and grab drinks with friends at one of the many outdoor sports bars.  The Mets really nailed this one, a fantastic job.  I can't wait to go back for opening day- T minus one week.