10.01.2005

good news

The Red Sox beat the Yankees last night. The two teams are tied for first place, with two games left to play. Unless the Red Sox sweep, there'll be a one-game playoff on Monday. The entire 162-game marathon season coming down to one game.

The Red Sox famously lost a one-game playoff to the Yankees in 1978 (after blowing a huge lead in the division, thanks to a man Boston calls The Gerbil), and they've never been allowed to forget it. For the last 27 years, Red Sox fans have been forced to watch endless re-runs of a certain shortstop hitting a certain home run. Not this year. No ghosts. Just win.

Of course, in 1978 there was no wild card, so losing the division meant going home for a long cold winter. This year, several scenarios abound, including a three-way tie among Boston, New York and Cleveland. Oy.

* * * *

The St. Lawrence Market is wonderful, and Marnie is an excellent tour guide! Between Union Station and the Market, we stopped in a few historical points. We saw Toronto's Flatiron Building (older than New York's, and a lovely building, but not as grand), and walked through St. James Cathedral and the beautiful park next to it. The Cathedral has the second tallest spire in North America, and some gorgeous stained glass. We also saw a nice exhibit in Toronto's first post office. I love that besides a historic spot, it's also a working post office.

The Market is great. I'll definitely go back soon to shop, but Marnie and I just wandered around. She pointed out the peameal sandwich and I had to have one. This yummy bit of Canadiana consists of several slices of bacon - Canadian bacon, or back bacon - on a toasted roll. Hey, what could be bad? We had ours with honey mustard, which seems to be the default condiment. We sat outside at a picnic table with our peameals and coffee. Totally delicious.

The GO train is great. The station is a five-minute walk from our house, and trains run every hour in both directions. From Port Credit to Union Station is about 20 minutes. So far I've only taken the train into Union Station and walked from there. This coming week I'll have reason to come in by GO, then take the subway. Report to follow, of course.

Later on, there was more good news: there is sushi in our neighbourhood! We went over there for dinner last night before the game, a pleasant walking distance away. I was skeptical because the restaurant serves both Japanese and Chinese food. Is that a thing around here? My skepticism led to jokes about a stomach-pumping machine coming around like a dim sum cart. But the sushi was fine, and if there's also good Chinese food at the same location, that will be a plus for our lazy non-cooking habits.

This morning we're doing more yard work before today's nail-biting contest at 2:00. I need another piece of suburbia: a wheelbarrow. So first to Canadian Tire, then to the backyard. Then to win.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

A good wheelbarrow: the staple of any decent suburban home.

A good ballteam: the staple of any division not in the American League.

Man, all the AL leaders suck this year ... none of them can pitch lately! Though that should make the playoffs fun to watch.

On that note, I actually hope to see the one gamer happen, much as I detest the Yanks (though I seem to recall way back when mentioning that Juice-on (er, Jason) Giambi would come back strong). It will be like an early Game 7 ... and there's nothing better than Game 7.

laura k said...

A good ballteam: the staple of any division not in the American League.

Best not check out the NL West, then. San Diego clinched with a 81-79 record. The Mets, 8 games back in the East, would be in first place in the West. Now that's a sucky division.

(though I seem to recall way back when mentioning that Juice-on (er, Jason) Giambi would come back strong).

Uh-huh. Though perhaps he ought to be tested between each at-bat. I also seem to remember someone saying the whole division, including the Blue Jays, would be close this year, but I've been too polite to mention it. ;-)

James Redekop said...

I should have reminded you to ask Marnie to show you Joe Fafard's cows. :) Here's a photo, but for the full effect you have to visit the TD Centre.

I was skeptical because the restaurant serves both Japanese and Chinese food. Is that a thing around here?

It's not uncommon. I've heard it said that the typical sushi restaurant in Toronto is owned by Japanese, managed by Chinese, and staffed by Koreans. I have no idea how true that is, though.

Sass said...

i know that when my pop lived in the GTA, i enjoyed some of the best chinese and japanese take out/buffet places i've ever known...we had some bad luck with thai food though.

Sass said...

my family finds it the stuff of tragedy that the only time I eat back bacon on a roll is when I visit them. it's pretty tasty, although definitely what i consider a 'sometimes' food.

James Redekop said...

we had some bad luck with thai food though.

Golden Thai on Church south of Dundas is good.

laura k said...

Golden Thai on Church south of Dundas is good.

That's where I went with my friend Barb the other night. She said it's her favorite. The food was very good.

laura k said...

I should have reminded you to ask Marnie to show you Joe Fafard's cows.

I'll see 'em. I'm sure to be wandering around downtown at some point. Thanks for the pic.