Earlier in the week, my wife (Cindy) decided we should take a short road trip up to Boston for the Labor Day weekend. It was a last minute thing, as we realized the weather was going to be nice, we hadn't been there since 2003, and we didn't have plans yet.

We get on the road by Friday at 2pm. Brooklyn to Boston should be 219 miles away and take roughly 4 hours. So we start off pretty well getting out of NY state surprisingly quickly. At about 3:30, we hit the parking lot known as I-95 (near Stamford, CT). We had to go 60 Miles on I-95 during rush hour and I was subject to repeatedly hearing my wife's CD compilation consisting of Kelly Clarkson, Amy Winehouse, Fergie, Lifehouse, and Maroon 5. The perfect recipe for road rage.

After we got past the hell stretch, which took about 2.5-3 hours, we were able to cruise at 70mph (or more) the rest of the way. My wife made it clear that she had no interest in hearing about the Red Sox and how much I am annoyed by the Yankees. So most of the discussions revolved around reality TV, what she is going to cook, and making fun of the other people we saw at rest stops. It was certainly entertaining, boy I married well.

So we roll into the hotel at a bit after 8pm. I had stayed at a Westin in Seattle back in 2002, so I figured it would be pretty decent. The Boston Westin was opened around 14 months ago, and we were surprised how nice this one was. Nice ammenities, pleasant staff, clean bathrooms and a 32 inch plasma TV.

Before I go on, I have to share my shame. I have been to roughly 40-50 Red Sox games in person in my life, with a great majority against the Yankees. Unfortunately my Sox have won a whopping total of 4 of those. I am such a jinx, that my winning percentage makes this year's Celtics and Bruins look good.

So we get up to the room, and I flip on NESN as we unpack. It's the third inning and the Sox are leading the Orioles as Ortiz has already hit a homer. There are men on first and second with no out just as I turn on the TV, and immediately the Sox get a popout and then ground into a doubleplay.

I expected Tim Wakefield (16-10) to be trying to become the first 17 game winner, but his back was acting up and Julian Tavarez got pushed up a day. So Tavarez comes out for the fourth and implodes for 4 runs - including a bomb over the Green Moster by Miguel Tejeda.

If that wasn't bad enough, the announcers come on and tell us that Rodney Harrison will suspended 4 games for admitting to using HGH. He is so key to the Pats, and we have some scary offenses for that run - at Jets, home to San Diego, at Bills, at Bengals. 

We go down to the hotel concierge to get a local dinner recommendation, as we are hungry and tired. She suggests Legal Test Kitchen, a nearby seafood place. Of course the walking directions she gave us were not too clear, and we got terribly lost in a fairly desolate area.

When we find the place, and looks pretty hopping. We put our names down and there is a 30 minute wait. We wait by the bar that was full of Sox fans watching the Sox-O's game, WWE wrestling's Vince McMahon, and the Syracuse game. By now, Timlin comes in and gets shelled. It's now 9-3 Orioles. Surprisingly I was not the most pissed one in the place, as a group of 3 girls at the bar started called for his immediate retirement. The only saving grace was that Carlos Pena continues his moster season with #32 and #33 as Tampa Bay is on their way to beating the Yanks 9-1.

So we are seated and the food completely took us by surprise. The menu and specials had quite a few things that sounded really tempting. Cindy ordered grilled scallops over a bed of spinach and I had Kung Pao Shrimp Stir Fry (insanley spicy). Both were very large protions and absolutely awesome. Just as we were waiting for the check, the Sox started a comeback and it was now 9-6 in the 7th inning.

We wander around South Boston for a bit, and somehow find our hotel. As we walk in, we catch the bottom of the ninth in the bar area. By this time, there is a pretty good size group huddled around a plasma TV openly rooting. Mora makes an error on Lugo's grounder, and it's 9-8 with one out. Varitek comes up, and grounds into the 4th inning ending double play of the night to end the game. I was bummed, but at least we still had a 5 game lead (thank you Tampa).

Saturday morning we wake fairly early with plans to go to Faneul Hall, Quincy Market, Chinatown, and Beacon Hill. Shopping, sight seeing, and food will be the goals of the day.

We had talked about getting Red Sox tickets for Saturday night. I looked on eBay and Stub Hub, and bleacher seats were going for $150+ per seat. If you live in another city, you may not realize that Fenway is sold out for every game (for the last 4 years) and is the most expensive ticket in MLB. Even so, that is just too much money for crappy seats. Combine that with my previously mentioned jinx history and the fact that it was supposed to be Tavarez starting, I just couldn't justify it.

So we walked a little over a mile to Faneul Hall area, and I noticed a few obvious things since our last visit in 2003:

• Red Sox fever has completely taken over. One in every five people had something Red Sox on. We were nowhere near the stadium, and you could the support for the team. I don't even see this many Yankee jerseys at Yankee games like I saw here.
  I figured I'd see more Ortiz jerseys and shirts than that of any player, but Varitek's #33 seemed to be the most prevelant.
• There had been a lot of new construction and the city's financial district looked very clean. Much cleaner than I remembered. I wish the Wall Street area in NY would take notice.
• The produce market in the area was insane, an incredible amount of great looking fruits and veggies for cheap prices. I only wish we had a car and cooler nearby, or we would have brought some home.
• I bought Gelato for a snack at Quincy Market and was let down. I must admit that I am a Gelato snob (after spending 10 days in Italy last October), but the Fruit di Bosco was dissapointing.

As we walked around, Cindy asked me what player was my favorite Red Sox - so I could get a t-shirt or jersey. It was tougher to answer than I expected. Ortiz would have been the expected answer, as every vendor seemed to have his and Matsuzaka's stuff. Then I saw a skinny kid walking around in a navy blue Papelbon #58 t-shirt, and I knew I had to get one. There's nobody on the team I get more excited to see come into games (he's saved 31 out of 33 this year). We went to a load of vendors and stores with no luck.

We decided to walk through Boston Common to Chinatown for lunch. We randomly found a cute little place and had Dim Sum. It wasn't quite as good as our usual place here in NY, but we both enjoyed it. The veggie dumplings and dan tats were my favorites.

After lunch, we walk around shopping and exploring. By this time, we are on our way to the hotel as both of our feet are killing us. We come across CitySports and I convince Cindy to go in. I had no idea what the place was, but it had sports in the name - and I love sports. As soon as we walk in the door, we see a nice display of folded Sox t-shirts. I find the exact shirt I had been searching for Papelbon #58. So I got that one and a gray Ortiz shirt, and Cindy got a nice Red Sox lightweight jacket. Even though she told me "it looked so cute on her", I'll be impressed to see her wear it around Brooklyn with so many Yankee fans.

So we get back to the hotel and I have found out the Yankees won. Ian Kennedy pitched well (one earned run, 3 runs in 6 innings) replacing Mike Mussina in the rotation. Not the news I wanted to hear as the Sox had now lost 4 in a row.

We are in our room getting ready for dinner and the Sox game starts. I see that Clay Buchholz got called up from Pawtucket and will be making the start. I tell my wife a rookie is starting and that I am happy we didn't blow the money on the tickets as they would probably lose. She says, "are you sure, you know how these things have a way of going with you".

Last time we were in Boston, we had dinner at Ginza - sushi place on Hudson Street. So we decided to go back there, as it was fairly close by and we both love Japanese food.

When we arrived, I was excited to find out that they had added 3 flat screen TVs in the restaurant - and they had the game on all of them. I was even more exctied to see the Sox had a 3 run lead. I noticed Clay hadn't given up any hits, but I didn't think much of it.

We ordered some great appetizers (calamari, squid, seaweed salad) and then a few specialty maki rolls. Although it was quite good, it was not as good as I had remembered.

By the end of dinner, Youkilis had banged a 3 run shot just over the monster to make it 8-0. Cindy had suggested (and dictated) that we would go for a nice walk along the Wharf. Of course I am the king of misdirection and we once again got lost. I take us down a very abandoned walkway that wound up being a dead end, boy am I an idiot - and she was sure to make sure I realized it.

We get up to our room, and it's bottom of the ninth with 2 out. Nick Markasis is up and Buchholz has thrown 110+ pitches. On a 1-2 count, Clay rips a nasty 12-to-6 curve for called strike three. He's done it... A no hitter in his second start... the first Sox rookie to ever do it and the first Sox since Derek Lowe in 2002.

Now I am not sure what is more amazing, that Clay threw the no hitter or that Ortiz was the third guy to greet him (coming from the dugout). I don't think I have ever seen big Papi move so fast, and he puts Clay in a headlock as he gives him a huge hug.

My favorite moment was from Josh Beckett, when he said, "better than Schilling, better than Schilling, better than Schilling" and then the camera panned to Schilling - who lost his no-no with one out to go in Oakland 3 months ago. It was priceless.

I did get to see some of the game in between the eating, and it was impressive. Varitek called an amazing game and Buchholz can really mix up his pitches.  His fastball is in the low-mid 90's with movement, a very nasty changeup, and he had a Blyleven-esque curveball when he needed it. He's extremely poised for a guy who turned 23 two weeks ago, and may have the most upside of all the Sox young homegrown guys.

Now I don't know what is more upsetting... Appalachian State beating Michigan in front of 107,000 crazed fans at the Big House (at Michigan) or me being in Boston, considering getting tickets, and then passing up the chance to be at this game.

As much as I hate to do it, I must take credit for the no-hitter. It's my crappy luck that made it possible! You're very welcome Clay. I would never have previously passed on the chance to go to a Sox game (any Sox game), and look what happens when I dont go... the 17th no-hitter in team history.

So we drove home Sunday, in about 4.5 hours. Hit a little traffic from construction on the Mass Pike, but nothing to complain about. This left me enough time to go grocery shopping, catch the end of the Sox 3-2 win, write this blog, and draft my team in SCN fantasy football (draft starts in 45 minutes from now).

From an autograph perspective, I came home and had a HOF day with these 4 successes in my mailbox:

1. 1960 Topps Chuck Bednarik
2. 1958 Topps Lenny Moore (I payed $10 fee)
3. 3 1980's cards of Michel Goulet
4. 1953 Bowman Dante "Glue Fingers" Lavelli

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