Playoff Fever

Let’s face it.  The Red Sox are pretty much all done.  Sure, it would be a pleasant surprise if they managed to make the playoffs at this point in time, but I seriously doubt that this is going to happen.

Well, if you want to see baseball playoffs right in your own back yard, look no further than the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who play in the Queen City, Manchester, NH.  The Class AA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Fisher Cats have been playing their hearts out this year.  I don’t think they’ve ever been below second place the whole season, and now, they have officially clinched their spot in the Eastern League playoffs.  We’re only now waiting to see whether they finish the season in first or second place in their division; how they place will dictate where the home games will be played.

If the Fisher Cats finish in first place, the home games for the first round of playoffs will be held on Wednesday, September 8, Thursday, September 9, and, if necessary, Sunday, September 12.  Should they finish in second, the home games would be on Friday, September 10 and, if necessary, Saturday, September 11.

Should the Fisher Cats make it to the finals, those home games are scheduled for Thursday, September 16, Friday, September 17, and Saturday, September 18.

The Fisher Cats are now selling playoff tickets – playoff ticket strips are on sale at nhfishercats.com, as well as at the ticket office or over the phone.  See the website for details.  Ticket strips are for all six possible playoff home games; if any games are not played for any reason, the Fisher Cats will either issue refunds for unused tickets, or offer credit for tickets for any game in the 2011 season.  So you really can’t lose!

So, you could spend your time online doing a medical job search or some such thing…or you can enjoy what the fisher Cats have to offer, and join in on playoff fever!  I know where I’ll be!

Banned in Boston?

Beer served in a plastic cup at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, Manchester, NH

You’ve probably heard the story about a man being killed by a shard of glass from a beer mug, as the result of a bar fight at the Landsdowne Pub in Boston.  Now, this bar is serving all drinks in plastic cups.  I don’t know what this bar is like, because I’ve never been there, but this is probably a good idea.

But now, according to an article on BeerAdvocate.com, the Boston licensing board is considering banning glass containers in ALL of the city’s bars.

It’s one thing to drink beer from plastic cups at a baseball game or other sporting event.    In addition to eliminating the risk of drunken fans throwing glass containers at players on the field, or at other fans in the stands, there are other practical reasons.  The cost of breakage would go through the roof, and make ballpark beer even more expensive than it already it.  And then they’d have to worry about washing all those glasses that don’t get broken.

Even at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill, which is located inside the NH Fisher Cats’ ballpark in Manchester, all drinks are served in plastic or paper cups.  This place has a really nice mahogany bar and all, and looks like the sort of place where you’d not expect your beer to be served in a plastic cup.  But they also allow people to take drinks out of the place and into the seating area of the ballpark.  They can’t watch every single person the whole time, so plastic all around makes the most sense.

On the other hand, I would not want to go into a nice beer bar and have my beer served in a plastic cup.  Different styles of beer are supposed to be served in different kinds of glassware; something they can’t do if they were forced to use only plastic.  Rather than give you a lesson on proper beer glassware, here’s a basic article about it from BeerAdvocate.com.  Many beer lovers have assorted glassware in their homes (we have a good collection), and we expect bartenders at better beer bars to know what beer goes in what glass.

The banning of glass would hurt these businesses.  Who is going to pay top dollar for a fine beer dinner, when all of the brews are served in plastic cups?  Beer geeks will simply go to places outside of Boston, the people who plan the beer dinners will have them at other restaurants, etc.

Also, at these higher-end establishments, people are less likely to get so drunk that they get into fights.  There is a huge difference between “beer geeks” like us, and people who go into some dive bar to get drunk on Bud Light or some other cheap, mass-produced swill.  Beer geeks enjoy the flavor of beer, we don’t drink to get so drunk that we can’t taste anything.  We’ve grown way beyond the college days of keggers and cases upon cases of Natty Light.

Those who drink to get drunk do not only not care what their beer is served in, they also do not care what beer they drink, as long as it’s cheap and there is plenty of it.  So the places that cater to such a clientele should, by all means, eliminate serving anything in glass.  But they should also be paying more attention to patrons who’ve had too much, and shut them off as necessary.  This not just because of potential bar fights, but for the safety of the general public.  You would not want someone to get so drunk that they cannot safely drive home.  Even the better beer bars should be paying attention; they would not likely serve somebody endless glasses of some 9.0% ABV double IPA.  As much as I personally love beers like this, I might have one serving at the beer bar, and then switch over to something with a lower ABV (alcohol by volume).

Hopefully, the owners of beer bars and brewpubs in Boston will speak out against this stupid law, and it will never be passed.  Let the bar and restaurant owners decide what to do, according to what would be best for them.  But don’t put people out of business over an issue which is not applicable to their establishment.

St. Baldrick’s Day!

My husband Mike, at Jerry Remy's Sports Bar & Grill, July 2010

Have you ever heard of St. Baldrick’s Day?  It is an annual event that is usually held at around the halfway point to the next St. Patrick’s Day.  Volunteers have their heads shaved in public to show support for kids with cancer who lose their hair due to chemo, and to raise money for childhood cancer research.

This year, my husband Mike will be participating in a St. Baldrick’s Day event, as a shavee.  As you can see, he doesn’t have much hair to begin with, but he’ll be growing it out for the event.

He is a part of Team Last Call, who will be getting “buzzed” at the Wild Rover Celtic Festival, to be held on Sunday, September 12, at the Wild Rover Pub in Manchester, NH.  The event also includes a 5K road race, which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  And of course, there is the entertainment, many great bands and dance groups will be performing.

Admission to the event is free, but you have to buy your own food and beer at the event if you want any.  And hopefully, you will want to make donations to the charities involved.  Parking is free in the garage across the street from the Rover.  For more info, visit the event page.  They had the first annual Celtic Fest last year, and it was a lot of fun.  It looks to be bigger and better this year!

If you can’t make it to the event in person, you can always donate to Mike’s cause online, at his official St. Baldrick’s page.  There will be pictures of all head-shavings posted, so you’ll be able to see who really got shaved!  Thanks in advance!

1964 – The Tribute

How would you like to see what Rolling Stone magazine calls the “Best Beatles Tribute on Earth”?  And what if I told you that it is not only in very easy reach, right here in New England, but tickets are just $10, as well?

Yes!  It’s true!  1964…The Tribute will be playing on this coming Thursday, August 12, at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, in beautiful downtown Manchester.  The team is out of town this week, so now the grounds crew and other staff are busy gearing up for this exciting concert.  No, there won’t be any patio cushions or anything, seating will be in the regular seating bowl only.  Not on the field, as they did for the Bob Dylan concert that was there a few years ago.

All tickets are $10, and there was some limited reserved seating available; that might be sold out by now, you’ll have to check.  All other seats are general admission, which means you can sit anywhere you like, except for the reserved sections.  We have our regular seats that we do for the ball games, and no doubt we’ll have to kick people out of them.  And so it goes…

Anyhoo, this concert is a benefit for Manchester’s gorgeous Palace Theatre; if you have never seen a show there, you are missing out.  No, this concert will not be there, or course, it will be at the ballpark, but I’m sure you will be able to learn much more about the theatre at this concert.

So this concert is only a couple of days away, so if you want to go, get your tickets now, before they sell out.  Gates open at 5PM (4:30 PM for Fisher Cats season ticket holders), and no doubt the Sam Adams Bar & Grill will be open for your drinking and dining enjoyment.  The concert itself will begin at 7PM, and there will be an Atlas Fireworks show right after the concert.

Please visit nhfishercats.com for more info and to purchase tickets.

Mike and I have always loved the Beatles, and are greatly looking forward to this concert!

There WILL be baseball playoffs in New England!

Well, unless the New Hampshire Fisher Cats do some SERIOUS screwing up, there will be.

The Fisher Cats are the Class AA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, and are part of the Eastern League.  They play their home games at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, located in downtown Manchester, on the banks of the Merrimack River.  They are easily accessible from Boston and many other ares of New England, just an hour’s drive away.  Think of how long you spend on the MBTA, or being stuck in traffic near Fenway to go to a Red Sox game, and an hour is not such a long time, now, is it?

These games also cost MUCH less!  Seats start at $6, with premium box seats going for just $12.  Concessions are much less expensive, as well.  And in addition to getting to see future Major Leaguers, they have some fun between-inning games and entertainment.  MerchantsAuto.com Stadium is very family-friendly, kids 3 and under get in free, as long as they are being carried in something like an Ergo baby carrier, or can sit on a parent’s lap…as long as they are not taking up a seat. Especially one of ours.  just because we get up together to get food and beer does NOT mean we are not coming back!

Anyhoo, the Fisher Cats are almost definitely going to the post-season, and tickets are on sale NOW!  We don’t yet know when the home games will be played, it will depend on how the team finishes at the end of the season.  You can purchase tickets for all six possible home playoff games; check HERE to see how the playoffs work in each possible scenario.  If you buy tickets for any games that end up not being played, you have the option of either getting a refund, or crediting the amount toward 2011 Fisher Cats tickets.  You really have nothing to lose by making sure you have good seats now!  Please visit nhfishercats.com for more information, and to buy tickets.

Playoff ticket prices are the same as those for the regular season; at least they were when I bought our tickets this morning.  Can you even breathe the air in Fenway Park for $12, never mind get in for just $6?  No, you can’t!