On Friday, May 18th I ventured to the Bronx with my Dad to see some interleague baseball -- the Yankees versus the Cincinnati Reds.
Since the Yankee game was my graduation present, my Dad wined and dined me in style! We started our trip to the Bronx with a visit to Dominick’s on Arthur Avenue. For those of you who don’t know, Arthur Ave in the Bronx is the ULTIMATE Little Italy. Yes, better than the one in Manhattan. Unlike the Little Italy in Manhattan, Arthur Ave has stayed true to its Italian roots. There are so many different kinds of Italian cuisine to choose from that someone would probably laugh if I told them I only went to Dominick’s. The restaurant is set up in a communal fashion. We were seated between an older couple and a party of four. There are no menus, you simply tell them what you want and they make it for you. We ordered Veal Marsala, Spaghetti and Calamari, salad, and an order of Fried Calamari. The food was ridiculously good! The veal was tender and sweet, and the calamari was fresh and bottomless. My mouth is watering all over again just thinking about it! After dinner, we stopped and got cannolis and made our way to the Stadium. Okay, so if you didn’t already know it, we’re all Italian and proud of it!
The weather could not have been more perfect. 70 degrees with the sun shining bright and a cool breeze that carried the smell of hot dogs and French fries through the air. Ahh yes, a Friday night at Yankee Stadium. To a Yankee fan, it does not get much better than this. Our seats were on the right field side, just past first base in section 227. Unfortunately, due to a bronchial infection, Mark Teixeira was given a complete day off. However, the real story here is Andrew Eugene Pettitte.
The veteran started for the second time on Friday night, he approached the mound with a look of determination in his eyes. There has been a lot of talk surrounding Andy’s return to the game after a retirement hiatus (especially from Dana and Gina, who pretty much called his triumphant return way back at the beginning of last season). In a pre-game interview, Manager Joe Girardi was asked what he wished for out of the game, “Can I be greedy? 8 shutout innings from Andy.” Pettitte permitted only four singles to the Reds lineup, striking out nine, and walking only one. After 115 pitches and 8 shutout innings, Joe got his wish and Andy got his first win since the 2010 playoffs! A few key players in the lineup provided Andy with enough support to secure the win, Granderson scored in the 4th inning on a groundout from A-Rod. Breathing room was added in the 8th by Robinson Cano and Raul Ibanez who both blasted homers to make the final score 4-0.
Thanks to my Dad for the best present a college grad could ask for! Now if only Nick Swisher would marry me and take care of that pesky college debt…
-- Vicky
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