A Week At Home - Midweek Report

(I had this all typed up on Wednesday but the Internetz ated it. Take two.)

After the stick throwing and all of Saturday, Sunday was my first day to settle in here. Our original plan was to get up, have some breakfast and go watch the USA Mens Basketball team play China. Well, after getting up once the game was already over, the plan changed a bit. What was still on was some breakfast and we went to Victor's 1959.

Victor's 1959 Cuban Cafe is south of Uptown at 38th and Grand. They serve traditional breakfast food which is fine if you're not feeling adventurous. But the reason to go to Victor's is because they do Cuban breakfast. My bro had mango pancakes for example. I had the dia y noche (day and night) which is black beans in white rice with a side of roasted plantains and toast with guava jelly. There's a word for what it is and it's yum.

Afterwards we went to Dreamhaven Comics which is closing at its current location in Uptown. Thus there are a lot of deals and I wasn't prepared at all. I could've easily gone inside and left giggling madly with an arm full of comics. Restraint was the name of the game and I was able to practice it. I left with only five comics and a wedding gift for some friends. I'd say what the gift is except I know they read my blog. (Hi CJ and Elaine!) Then we went back to Dan's place to read our recently acquired material.

We ended the night with dinner at my dad's place. He was grilling out and made us burgers. My dad also gave my brother, my step-cousin and I all watches. It's a really nice watch and I'll be able to wear it with work clothes. Normally I just use my cell phone as a clock. But in this case, it really is the thought that counts.

The rest of the week has been a lot more straight-forward. Just about everybody I know has work so I've been taking it easy. That doesn't mean I've been bored. The order of the day for Monday through Thursday was catching up with friends and going to Twins games.

On Monday I hung out with Nicky. I met her new pomeranian, we went to Plan B Coffee and then went to Cheapo for a massive CD purchase. I bought six CDs including Massive Attack "Blue Lines", Murs "3:16" and the Jarvis Cocker solo album. She dropped me back at my bro's place, I watched a little "Lost" and waited for Todd to pick me up for the Twins game.

The Twins game itself was excellent. Todd and I sat in the left field bleachers with his friends Rob and Anthony, Adam Everett hit a "Really? Adam Everett?" homerun into the stands in front of us and Glen Perkins pitched eight innings of shutout baseball. Even better, because the White Sox lost, the Twins took a small half game lead in the division.

Tuesday was similar but doubled. I got up in the morning, took a bus out to Longfellow and had brunch with SayRock. We went to the Longfellow Grill for breakfast and catching up. The best quote of the day (and I'm paraphrasing) was "I exude a certain granola-ness. But you look like the sort of person who does eat beef." After brunch I immediately ran back to the light-rail and took the train downtown to have lunch with Brian. We had Thai food from the Sawatdee Express and got a chance to catch up.

On Tuesday night, a large group including my brother, my cousin and my step-cousin and I went to the Twins game and sat in the upper deck in front of the Hrbek banner. Mike Mussina pitched a good game for the Yankees and the Twins were down three runs when we left in the middle of the eighth inning. The new rule of thumb is that we aren't leaving any game early if it's a save situation and the Twins are coming to bat. Mike Redmond started the inning with a double, Randy Ruiz hit a one out single and we were turning on the radio in the car in time to hear the fans who stayed cheering for Delmon Young's three-run homer. The Yankees did win in the 13th inning but it would've been thrilling to be there when Delmon hit a homer.

I know because he hit another three-run homer on Wednesday. Todd came by early and we drove out to the Twins Pro Shop at Ridgedale for another splurge purchase. I got a 2006 Division Champs shirt on sale, a home Santana jersey also on sale, a Morneau t-shirt jersey and a Mauer alternate home jersey if for no other reason than he's dreamy. We were on a rocket to get back down to the Dome in time to meet Ellen O who procured excellent seats behind home plate on the Twins dugout side and twenty rows up in Section 127. Kevin Slowey gave up only one run in six innings, Brian "I'll Get You A Hit Only With Runners In Scoring Position" Buscher hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Mauer and Delmon hit the aforementioned three-run homer to send us home having witnessed another Twins victory.

Wednesday night I went to Galactic Pizza with Patrick, Don and SayRock. We had the Paul Bunyan which is made of all local Minnesota ingredients on top of being very yummy. I didn't have a hemp brownie this time around though they really are worth it. We instead went for Sonny's ice cream at Crema Cafe.

Yesterday, without a Twins game to attend, I slept in and then bummed around the city. My high school friend Pete came to pick me up from my brother's and we went to my home-away-from-home, Leaning Tower of Pizza. I may be exagerating a bit. But I do want it noted that they stopped carding me five years ago even when they card everyone else at the table.

Today I'm again bumming around the city and may end up at the Twins game tonight. Francisco Liriano IS pitching. Six days down, Three to go.