3 Generations of Red Sox Nation

I’ve always joked that I have the best idea for a birthday present for my wife each year, taking her to a Red Sox game.  We take the kids, get to hit a beer stop or two, eat good food, and enjoy being together as a family.  My friends like that this is a gift for HER, not me, and that I’m there merely as the chauffer and tour director.  This year we picked a game on Mother’s Day, a fitting honor since Jenn’s mom Martha passed away last May and she was a diehard Red Sox fan.  Jenn and I both agreed that there was no better place to be than Fenway Park on this day.  And this year I offered to stay overnight in Boston the night before to make a weekend of it (again, this is HER present).

So we drove out Saturday morning and made a beeline for Faneuil Hall for lunch.  Jenn loves her chowda, and enjoyed sampling before choosing the Boston Chowda Company to get her fix (the bread bowls are tasty, but you really don’t get much chowda if you go that route so be advised).  The kids got pretzels and whoopie pies (fun eating, not healthy eating), while I went for some sausage and peppers (more sweet than spicy).  We went to the Aquarium, which was under construction, and were disappointed to find that the penguins had to be relocated during the process.  On previous visits I would stay for hours just watching the penguins play, but on the bright side we got to see the sea turtles up close and talk to a trainer.  I then watched a bit of the ballgame across the street at the Granary Tavern while the ladies went shopping.  No not the Red Sox, but Wigan beating Man City for the FA Cup (now that’s an upset).  I wet my whistle with a Sam Adams Curious Traveler (a summer shandy, have beer and half lemonade and very thirst quenching).  We didn’t stay to long since kids can’t sit at the bar in MA (I guess that rule makes some sense, but not even with their parents?), so we met up and went over to one of my favorite places in Boston for dinner.

The Sunset Grill and Tap (http://www.allstonsfinest.com/) has something on the menu for everyone, while providing over 100 choices in great craft beer.  The nachos are humungous, so Jenn and I split a half order with their BBQ pork on top (I got a side bowl of chili with it, yum!).  We also split their spinach and artichoke dip, and the Sunset Grill’s version was served on mozzarella cheese covered pita chips, resulting in even more nachos (What did I say? Fun eating, not healthy eating).  And the beer! The Sunset Grill offers 5 oz. samplers, so I was able to try several different brews.  I got to try some local choices, like Slumbrew’s Lobstah Killa Imperial Red and Jack’s Abbey ABC’s Imperial IPA.  I tried some drafts from the Bruery, White Oak and Hummulus Impeiral Pilsner.  I got to try some strange new beers, like Dogfish Head’s 61-Minute IPA (and IPA brewed with red grapes that was delicious) and Boulevard’s Coffee Ale (I needed the caffeine kick).  Finally, there were classic brews for big brewers, such as Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout and Brooklyn’s Companion Wheat Wine.  We even had entertainment, watching folks try to squeeze into a much too small parking spot in front of the restaurant (one lady crashed into the car behind her 3 times!).  It was a good day, followed by a relaxing night at the hotel’s pool and watching some ladies getting stuck in the elevator.

The next morning we took the T into town, taking the Green line from Riverside to Kenmore Station.  Parking is a bear around Fenway Park, and the kids love the novelty of the train ride.  We went to my favorite spot for lunch, Boston Beer Works (http://www.beerworks.net/) and met up with my sister-in-law Terry, her husband Steve and my niece Stephanie.  We got a table easy enough (deserted at 10:45, crowded at 11:15, and packed at 11:30 for a 1:30 game), and I enjoyed a Chocolate Macaroon Stout on cask.  It was neat to see them and share the experience.  We kept it simple with salads, pizza, and pretzel rolls (a little more healthy except for the beer cheese pretzel dip), and Jenn enjoyed her traditional Bunker Hill Bluebeery ale with blueberries floating in it.  Steve and I even were able to wander down the street to the Yard House to see what they had on the chalk board while the rest of the family went looking for Boston Strong t-shirts (I would have gone for a Victorino jersey).  I enjoyed a Brooklyn Silver Anniversary Lager (its actually a Dopplebock) out in the sun while Steve and I got to chat about family, politics, and how much fun driving in the city can be.

I met up with Jenn and we headed out to the bleacher seats.  We got to see a lot of offense, but mostly in terms of the Blue Jays hitting home runs en route to a 12-4 victory.  We were 14 rows back in right field, and the most dramatic event was Victorino crashing into the wall to try to stop one of the Blue Jay home runs (he didn’t catch it, lost his glove, and was obviously shaken up on the play).  Sweet Caroline had particular meaning this year, and we did our part in singing along.  Jenn got the kids their ice cream helmet sundaes, I got a Fenway Frank (healthy food?) and all you can drink souvenir soda (lots of pee breaks on the way home), and Jenn got to catch some sun (guess we didn’t need those ponchos after all).  But it was Mother’s Day, and the Red Sox had a treat for the Moms in the stadium by letting them and their kids run the bases after the game.  So Jacob and I made our way to the first base side and Jenn and Jess waited in line for their chance.  There was a huge grin on both of their faces, walking around the outfield to get their turn.  And no one was running, since the quicker you went the quicker the experience was over.  I could see my ladies pause on second base, looking towards home plate and the Fenway Park sign, and I knew what she was thinking.  I know that my mother-in-law would have loved to share that experience with them, but that was actually the best part.  Martha was there, walking with them, sharing the sights and loving the fact that we were spending the day thinking of her.

I gave Jenn a hug when she came off the field and we headed back to the T stop to start our journey home.  Jess was smiling from ear to ear, and I knew that we had another faithful member of Red Sox nation.  I told Jacob that we can root for the Red Sox (obviously except when they play the Phillies), and he did his part by wearing a Red Sox hat for the day.  6324/14023

“There is only one game at the heart of America and that is baseball, and only one beverage to be found sloshing at the depths of our national soul, and that is beer.” – Peter Richmond