Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galatica. or Pittsburgh. Food. Yankees

Before I give you my blurb and photos from my trip to Pittsburgh I wanted to throw out the bit o’info that I am going to the Twins game tonight. I am NOT a fan of going to games when the Yankees are in town, mostly because the amount of Minnesota Yankee fans that pop out of the far reaches of our fair state. Also, I hate the Yankees. (Note: I do not hate Yankee fans…well, most of them.) So, I am putting on my Twins shirt and my sunblock and heading to Target Field to experience my first WARM game at our fantastic ballpark. Now…what to eat? What to drink? What insults to mutter under my breath at the family of four wearing Jeter jerseys?

I Heart Pittsburgh
I survived a kickass trip to Pittsburgh, the City of Food (well, that’s my nickname for it.) I was like my own travel show where I ate at non-chain restaurants, tried local faves, drank in the hotel bar while telling crazy stories drunkenly. Okay…so that last part would be an exclusive for MY travel show. I experience a giant rain delay on my only Pittsburgh Pirates game and I snagged a Garrett Jones action figure for @baseballhappy. I feel like I succeed in having the mid-range level of fun! Especially considering I got to sit next to Davey Jones (yes, THE Davey Jones from the Monkees) at the hotel bar. I also stood next to Hermans Hermits at the valet stand.

PNC Park


A famous Primanti Bros Sammie.

I hopped across the border to West Virginia to have lunch with Darcie!


A pretty and rainy day view from my hotel window.


I had coffee with dinos!


Sushi in a boat tastes the best.

Extra! Extra! Lipgloss & Those Girls Combine to take Pittsburgh by storm!

As I pack my bags (including my one lonely Pittsburgh Pirate tshirt) I am making a mental note of all the things that Oh, Those Girls and I have decided we wanted to do:
· Breakfast Sundaes at DeLuca’s
· Walk by the giant hamburger
· Steak and Lube
· Baseball
· Tour
· Eating
· Walking
· Garrett Jones Bobblehead
· Eating
· Baseball

However will we fit it all in?

One of my fave Pittsburgh memories – the room service menu at the hotel

Wish us luck and follow our twitters for shenanigans as they happen!

@baseballipgloss

@baseballhappy

Pittsburgh Affair! Plus proof that I fangirl my own city: My Faves of Minneapolis – Music, Beer & Food

Pittsburgh or Bust
In one week and one day I will be hurtling in an airplane towards the east coast and Pittsburgh, PA. Now, most of you may know how I am in love with Pittsburgh…the city, the people, PNC Park and the Pittsburgh Pirates. I almost feel dirty because I am cheating on my first love of Minneapolis/Twins. Anyways, I am so very much looking forward to this baseball weeked with Those Girls & Pittsburgh, The City. It is Garrett Jones Action Figure Weekend and well…let’s be honest…shenanigans are bound to happen when there is beer, a city, and an action figure.

Hometown Pride
There are so many awesome things about Minneapolis…it’s almost impossible to list them BUT I am going to give it a try.

Music

Tune into 89.3 The Current on Saturday, May 15 and enjoy Minnesota music at its finest. The Current will be playing only Minnesota music all day long. Check out their Minnewiki for more info.

Beer

There are some kickass breweries here in Minnesota (and Wisconsin). The past few years I have been…hesitant to order Premium Grain Belt whilst rocking out at First Ave or any outdoor music festival because…well…because of Hipsters. For a while there Premium was the Hipsters Choice of Beer and that really turned me off it. Thankfully, the flighty tendencies of the hipsters have them moving on to tallboys of PBR. Whew! Now I can enjoy my local brew again! Plus, last month they launched a new brew in their collection… Grain Belt Nordeast! If you are a local guy or gal you know that Nordeast is known as the Hipster Capitol of the world and yet that won’t discourage me from testing this newest edition to the Beer Family. (Word has it that the secret ingredient is tears from a crying hipster at a Vampire Weekend concert.)

Food

Photo from http://www.michaelbirawerart.com

Matt’s Bar, the Institution. Besides music and beer I find myself having a lot of pride in one place…a bar that serves hamburgers…nee Amazingly Simple Tasty Treasure Filled Hamburgers. Matt’s Bar, the Institution. This place holds a special place in my heart (and my neighborhood). It is the home of the ORIGINAL Jucy Lucy. Man vs Food was there, food wars, Andrew Zimmerman, Anthony Bourdain…they all have to stop at Matt’s Bar and so should you! Hey, if you are coming to town this summer to check out the new Target Field give me a call and I’ll take you to Matt’s. A couple months ago I got to show/brag/preen/crow/introduce Matt’s Bar to Sarah (Scoreboard Gourmet) to the awesomeness of the Jucy Lucy. You can read her recap here plus tons of other great stadium food items (including a bunch from Target Field).

This is where d’you go music, this is come home music/This is down to the wire I’m such a perfect angel music

It’s baseball and that’s all you need to know.
Summer time is just around the corner and baseball season is already in full bloom. Now is the time of year where I juggle my life into two categories: Baseball and Non-Baseball. Having season tickets (even a partial plan) is a tricky situation of weighing pros and cons. There are many events that I know four months in advance that I can’t attend due to having tickets to a game. This is often not well received. So, in preparation for the season I am working on my list of excuses. Here are a few that I have thought up on the fly. Any additional bullet points to add to the list would be greatly appreciated.

Excuses to why I can’t attend events due to having tickets to a baseball game
·Jason Bartlett is only in town for these four days. I need to go see Barty at least three of those days.
·I mean, I assume that your marriage will last a couple days after your wedding and I’ll give you your present then.
·It’s my last game that I have tickets for against Detroit that happens to fall on a Tuesday on the second week of the month.
·I don’t wanna.
·It’s the only night where wearing a shower cap and holding a broom is appropriate.
·Dollar Dog Night.

Hometown Hero Homecoming
I am often found rolling my eyes or snarking on national broadcasts of the Twins games…mostly due to the fact that no matter who is playing and what is happening ESPN can relate it to something of the Yankees. Now, y’all know how I feel about American’s Darlings (I happen to like a lot more of their fans more than the actual team) so it’s pretty safe to say that I don’t tolerate those shenanigans. However, ESPN is broadcasting a new episode of E:60 in which they “go home with Major League Baseball star Joe Mauer…” Hey, a shot at checking out sites around Minnesota, laughing at Minnesota accents, and seeing what a good guy that Joe Mauer is…count me in. Check it out tomorrow night (4/27) at 6 p.m. on ESPN.



Song of the Day – can’t get it out of my head
This song sounds like another song that I love. I just can’t figure it out. Anyways, the song is awesome. Give it a listen.

Hockey – Song Away

Photos: Target Field - Part 2

First thing's first...Walks WILL haunt you
This is by far one of my favorite graphics from back in the Old Metrodome Days (ah, it's lovely to remember back five months ago) and seeing it in my new favorite place...well, that was pretty damn special. What was ALSO special was Zack Greinke (Royals) giving up enough walks so that I was sure to get a photo of the graphic.




Kirby!


Finally scored a Kramarczuk's polish sausage!


Fancy instructions on how to flush the toliet.


Cheesecurd in a canoe.


I may be trippin on acid.


Stacy & me!

Photo editing fun! Since I took about eleventy billion photos of the same scene I decided to play around with my editing software.

Photos: First night game at Target Field Part 1 - 4/16/10 vs. Kansas City Royals

I have been told many, many times these past few weeks that it seems I am a bigger fan of Target Stadium than I am of the actual Twins team. Untrue...to a point. I will admit that I may in the top 5% of the Target Field Fan Club...you may even say that I FANGIRL Target Field. I was very exited to be able to attend the first night game at our new ballpark and got very shutter-happy when it came to taking pictures. If I could have committed myself to staying in one spot I would have done a time-elapse of the sun setting. Anyways...the ballpark and the city are both beautiful as the sun sets down. Enjoy!

Target Field, April 16, 2010 - Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals





2009 AL Cy Young Winner - Zack Greinke