Posts Tagged ‘Citi Field’

It’s Time to Play Baseball in New York City

It’s an unusual baseball season already. Showing proof of vaccination or testing, sitting apart from your neighbors, and not dancing to YMCA is a very weird start. But, let’s cheer for the Bronx Bombers and the Amazins and say good riddance to cutout fans. It’s time to play baseball.

Increasing numbers of vaccinated sports fans and a bit of hindsight about how the virus spreads have helped us get to where we are with limited capacity seating. And within a few months, we should be in a much better position.

Here’s what you need to know if you plan to go the stadiums.

New Attendance Protocols

Courtesy New York Yankees

Going to a Yankees or Mets game will be like traveling to another state or even another country. You must be fully vaccinated or have a Covid test with a negative result no less than three days prior to the first pitch. You’ll need to show your proof of either if you plan to enter the stadium, whether you have a ticket or not. Temperature checks will also be required.

CDC guidelines are being followed by both the Yankees and the Mets. Masks must be worn at all times except when eating or drinking at your assigned “seat pod,” and it is suggested that you bring hand sanitizer and wipes with you as well as wash your hands frequently. You can expect to see signs and a small legion of people reminding you of this around the restrooms, too.

© Meryl Pearlstein

Social distancing will be required. Seating between pods will ensure that rules are followed in the stands but you will be expected to monitor your behavior when you walk through the stadiums. Detailed “Know Before You Go” safety information for the Mets and the Yankees is available on their websites and will be updated as available.

How ‘Bout Them Tickets?

© Meryl Pearlstein

Like the Red Sox and the Yankees playing a game without any excitement, getting a ticket will be another challenge.

Tickets are harder to score than ever. With initial games reduced to 20 percent attendance, and tickets on sale in “waves,” you can expect higher-than-normal prices particularly for popular series like Red Sox vs Mets or Red Sox vs. Yankees. Tickets are being sold in “pods,” meaning that you can only purchase them in pre-defined groups and seating will be strategically scattered throughout the stadiums.  For the initial “limited capacity” games, only 8492 tickets will be sold for the Mets and 10,850 for the Yankees. Tickets for other games will be released at a later date with the hope that capacity restrictions will be relaxed. Stay up to date by checking the websites for the Mets and the Yankees.

For safety’s sake, all ticket purchases will be contactless. None will be sold at the stadiums. Everything needs to be taken care of online and your phone is your entry ticket. Be sure to keep your battery charged or bring a spare as you’ll need to show your phone to return to seat if you go for a bathroom or refreshment break.

Batter Up

Courtesy New York Yankees

Concessions are still being worked out, but as a rule, all purchases will be cashless this year. If you have cash, you can convert it to a pre-paid debit card at a “reverse” ATM, or use your mobile phone or credit card instead. In-seat delivery has been suspended but you can pre-order and pre-pay your food selection on the MLB Ballpark App for express pick-up at designated locations, or just purchase at the stands.

Some of the classic vendors like NY Pinstripe Pilsner at Yankee Stadium have announced their presence at the stadium. Other concessioners will sell familiar local choices like Jersey Mike’s, Nathan’s, Lobel’s and Haru Sushi. There will also be Grab n Go options in two locations. The Mets have confirmed the return of favorites like fuku, Shake Shack, DO Cookie Dough and Pizza Cupcake. It will be interesting to see how Citi Field manages their outdoor craft beer garden space and food stands where people usually crowd and queue en masse.

Check the websites to confirm openings and rules for the various sit-down restaurants or the private clubs like the buffet-heavy Legends Suite Club at Yankee Stadium or the Delta Sky360° Club at Citi Field. Rules change all the time, it seems.

Can We Still Have a Seventh Inning Stretch?

Remember when a seventh inning stretch meant actually stretching your legs and taking a quick walk to grab a beer or hit the loo?  Be smart and try to schedule your break when the crowds are thinnest. Your safety is everyone’s safety.

New Year’s Day Fun in New York City

The evening’s festivities are over; here are some activities to consider for the first day of 2018.

Are you a daredevil?  The weather promises to be freezing on New Year’s Day, but that doesn’t deter these folks from plunging into the icy cold water at Coney Island in Brooklyn. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge is free with and begins at 1pm at the Stillwell Avenue boardwalk entrance. Participants get free admission to the New York Aquarium and a post-dip warm up at Coney Island Brewing Company and Steeplechase Beer Garden. A $25 donation is suggested to benefit local Coney Island organizations including the New York Aquarium and the Alliance for Coney Island.

Train lovers still have time to catch the annual Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx where model trains travel through a miniature landscape of 150+ iconic city structures. This year’s version spotlights Midtown Manhattan, with a new Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, General Electric Building and more on view through January 15. Advance reservations are strongly recommended as tickets do sell out. https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/.

In Queens, the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®—hockey’s highest profile regular-season game—will be held at Citi Field on New Year’s Day.  January 1, 2018 will mark the first time the game is held in New York City. Even if you don’t have a ticket, there will still be fun activities outside of the stadium starting at 9am including a DJ, giveaways, refreshments and more.

If you plan to ice skate at Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue between 49t5h and 50th streets, here’s what you need to know to book a reservations through VIP igloo if you’d like to avoid the lines and also get complimentary skate rentals (although general admission does not require a reservation.)  https://therinkatrockcenter.com/vip-skate-rink-reservations https://therinkatrockcenter.com/reservations.  Hours are 8:30am until midnight daily.

Warm up after with Maison du Chocolat’s fabulously, thick and perfectly sweet chocolat at 30 Rockefeller Plaza and also on the Upper East Side at 1018 Madison Avenue. http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.us/en_us/ Or at Jacques Torres, aka Mr. Chocolate, also at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. http://www.mrchocolate.com/

And no matter where or what the New Year’s celebrations have been, the potato powered FryGuys, www.fryguysnyc.com will be ready to soothe your hunger or hangover  with their new boat load of OG twice fried frys, topped with scrambled eggs, bacon an cheese, then crowned with a fried egg and fried chicken. Dubbed the Brunch so Hard, this will satisfy your hunger as you enter the New Year.  FryGuys, 150 2nd St.

For more NYC info, check out https://www.nycgo.com/.

Baseball Fancation: Let’s Plan to See the New York Mets

Here’s another Fancation to tempt your travel planning for the year ahead. Plan to visit New York City starting in April to see the Amazins’ continue the momentum started this year.

New York Mets:

Baseball Stop: Citi Field, Queens

Be one with your favorite firecracker-hot Mets players at Citi Field where you can really feel like you’re a part of the action. The Mets’ newish stadium seats 41,800 and provides a little something for every single fan. The seats are positioned inward to provide an enhanced view of the field, there’s the 2K Sports FanFest area complete with batting cage, dunk tank and video and of course an abundance of food stands serving the best hot dogs, pretzels, Italian heroes and other baseball-friendly snacks. The food court in the back takes baseball cuisine a step further with Danny Meyers’ Shake Shack and Blue Smoke,along with Pressed by Josh Capon of Lure Fishbar fame. Very much made with the customer in mind, tickets are reasonably priced, compared to the other New York team’s.. Located in the busy and diverse Flushing Meadows section of Queens there is so much culture and energy surrounding the stadium in the form of interesting museums, ethnic restaurants and beautiful architecture. Getting to the stadium is easy— whether you prefer by subway, rail, water or road. The 7 train takes you directly to the park. Check online to find out about seasonal water taxis, often leaving from downtown Manhattan.

Explore:

Anti-Booze Cruises: Take a break from all-you-can-drink nighttime sailing adventures and give Classic Harbor Line (http://www.sail-nyc.com/) cruises a try. Sail around New York while renowned restaurateurs and architects entertain and enlighten you with their fare. Learn some New York City architectural history aboard a classy 1920’s style yacht where you glide along the East, Harlem and Hudson Rivers, under each of Manhattan’s 18 bridges (who knew there were so many) and past many other notable buildings and memorials. Cruises set sail from easily accessible Chelsea Piers, Pier 62 at West 22nd Street. You can also enjoy the new cruise-dining experience on Fish Bar (http://northriverfishbar.com/) from Pier 81, where you can choose to sit on top at the bar on lounge furniture, or inside as you enjoy fine dining while sailing along the Hudson River. Time your dinner to coincide with a sunset viewing of the Statue of Liberty. The boat and restaurant operate year-round.

Not Your Mom’s Science Fair: Perfect for ages 6 months to 70 years, the New York Hall of Science (http://www.nysci.org/) takes the science beyond generic science-fair level. There’s a Science Playground with slides, sound machines and more that are perfect for the little ones who are discovering the use of their senses. There are more than 450 permanent exhibits that are all hands-on and mentally stimulating. Explore some of the most powerful and historical spacecrafts at Rocket Park, discover unknown worlds beneath the microscope at Hidden Kingdoms and put your body to work at Sports Challenge where you participate in fun and physical activities. Rocket Park Mini Golf is a way to incorporate all you learned about physics, mathematics and good old fun. General admission tickets are priced reasonably, based on age of guest, and don’t miss the opportunity for complimentary admission September-June on Fridays, 2-5pm; Sundays, 10-11am and Fridays when school is out for students. The Museum hours change with the seasons.

Bird’s Eye View: In order to take in all the beauty of New York City from above either take a helicopter ride with New York Helicopter (http://www.newyorkhelicopter.com) or opt for the economical route and head to Queens Museum http://www.queensmuseum.org/) to see the renowned Panorama. The 50-year-old model is 9,335 square feet and includes an accurate model of every New York City building that was ever built before 1992. Robert Moses’1964 World Fair entry celebrates the city’s diverse and beautiful architecture and infrastructure, shining light on each of the 895,000 structures. The model’s upgrade in 2009 was to make a crucial addition, the Met’s Citi Field. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 12-6pm and the admission is a suggested donation. New York City Building Flushing Meadows Corona Park; Queens, NY 11368; 718-592-9700

De-stress : Sweat the stress and pounds away at an authentic Russian Bath, Wall Street Bath and Spa (http://www.wallstreetbath.com/). Offered is the Russian Sauna, the Old American Shvitz that’s temperature and vapor ingredients can be adjusted to your liking, a near-Olympic-sized swimming pool, tanning beds, and Jacuzzi.  For $32.50 per day you can de-robe and relax in one of the busiest districts in the city, Wall Street. There’s a restaurant onsite with a few options to help replenish your appetite after a day of sweating off toxins and unwanted fat. Ride the New York Waterway Ferry

(http://www.nywaterway.com/Home.aspx)  for another fun experience. Open Monday through Friday 11am-11pm or Saturday and Sunday 9am-11pm.

88 Fulton Street; New York, NY 10038; 212-766-8600

Sleep: Skip staying in Queens and head instead to Manhattan for greater choice and comfort. A boutique in a quieter section of the city is the Hotel Giraffe (http://www.hotelgiraffe.com/). Comfort, elegance and style are personified in the spacious guest rooms, with afternoon snacks, and music in the lobby. The complimentary European-style breakfast buffet and rooftop lounge area are sure to provide the much-needed boost of energy or bit of relaxation to get you through your day as well as the high-speed Wi-Fi Internet for researching your next move. Though there is no gym onsite, guests receive a complimentary pass to the nearby NY Sports Club. Located at 365 Park Avenue South; New York, NY 10016; 212-685-7700 you are within a short walking or public transportation-distance from many of the city’s major shopping areas, landmarks and museums.

Hotel Elysée (http://www.elyseehotel.com/) is a boutique hotel that entices with its simplicity without sacrificing its amenities. It’s very much like a home away from home feel with the charming and thoughtfully styled guestrooms and suites and the care with which they treat guest, offering complimentary Wi-Fi Internet throughout the hotel as well as a hearty breakfast. For a delicious meal at a world-renowned eatery, head right out to Monkey Bar (http://monkeybarnewyork.com) or order into your room.  The stylish restaurant that has been around since the Great Depression serves up banana daiquiris, famous NY Strip ‘Delmonico’ and enough oysters and clams to satisfy your crustacean cravings. The Hotel is located at 60 East 54th Street; New York, NY 10022; 212-753-1066.

Eat: You’ve had a long day of sitting in sporty clothing, cheering loudly to represent your team and possibly weathering the storm of beer raining from the cups of fellow fans. A day at the baseball field is always fun and exciting but sometimes after all the casual fun sometimes a little upgrade to grownup sexy is the perfect way to end the night. DiWine is exactly the place to go. The eclectic menu reflects the diverse Astoria neighborhood in which it resides. There’s a delicious array of brunch Brick Oven Pizzas—“The Gigi” with smoked beef, capers, portabella and mushrooms sounds amazing, Pecan Buttermilk Waffles and Banana Bread French Toast to start you off. Then the Dinner Menu sets things off offering 12 Tasting Plates—Dates and Devils, Bistro Mussels and Truffled Mac-n-Cheese are just a few that scream to be tasted. The creative and tasty libations are in abundance and they pair nicely with the gorgeous interior that’s intimate and chic. The plush lounge couches and extra long bar draw people in and keep them satisfied while there.

Open Sunday through Thursday 5pm-2am; Friday & Saturday 5pm-4am; Weekend brunch begins at 11am.

4115 31st Avenue; Astoria, NY 11103; 718-777-1355

Shop: You know the drill. Manhattan and Brooklyn are where the shopping’s at. Depending on your style preferences, you might enjoy perusing the high-fashion Pucci and Prada shops along Madison Avenue in Manhattan or subway downtown to SoHo for trendier boutiques or big-name magnets like Moncler and Intermix.  Brooklyn is the place for the independents, with each neighborhood touting its own. Take the subway, pick a neighborhood, and shop. There are more stores in NYC than in most cities in the country and you’re sure to find something distinctive along the way. And, of course, there’s always the Fan Store at the stadium for your Mets flatbrim hat.

Planning a trip to NYC?