Saturday, May 30, 2009

High Fidelity... The Hip Hop Version- Laura's Song by Donwill.



<a href="http://donwill.bandcamp.com/track/lauras-song">Laura's Song by donwill (of tanya morgan)</a>

Just press play and let that shit ride out.

How better to spark a beautiful Saturday than with some great music. This joint has been on steady rotation since the minute I caught it a couple of months ago. On some backwards steez the video dropped with no mp3. I wanted to do something immediately but wanted to wait till the mp3 was available. The wait is over.

Bottom line, this shit knocks. Donwill of Tanya Morgan comes correct with this one as he pays homage to a record fiend's classic- High Fidelity. It wins across the board. This is how I see it. The beat is a total heatrock- major props due to Astronote for the production. High Fidelity is placed high among the upper echelons of Howfresh's canon of literature and cinema. Heartbreak and hiphop- No Kanye- is my steez- when the video dropped around 2 months ago I was in different spirits so the listening experience was heightened, dropping bombs E-uphoria status- since then Gang Starr Flip the Script has occurred and it keeps flipping but I still get open. The video shows NYC in all its glory- Fat Beats, bOb Bar (aight), and the BK Museum (you know the kid loves BK). And finally the artwork is reminiscent of Sam Cooke's "The Man Who Invented Soul" boxset. Anything evoking memories of Sam is worthy of a mention.

Peep the track and if you dig it, cop. This was the first itunes track I ever purchased. Support that dope shit.

Donwill- Laura's Song Instrumental






How could I mention Sam and not play a joint or 4? Dude is from a different planet. I'm about to cop some donuts so sugar dumpling seemed rather appropriate.

Sam Cooke- Sugar Dumpling


Sam Cooke- Bring It On Home To Me


Sam Cooke- Nothing Can Change This Love


Sam Cooke- Desire Me

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Blame it on the A-A-A-A-A-Alcohol...



Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pizzle- Blame it on the Alcohol


Throw your W's up!!! Front, back, side to side... A long Memorial Day weekend capped off by a visit to the ER and the kid needs a vacation. Between an Irish funeral, a terrible Dominican club with 2 terrible hood rat chicks, a crazy crawfish boil, experiencing disgusting Philly fans at Yankee Stadium during an extra-innings loss, almost getting punched in the face by a man-hating lesbian, and then a 4 am visit to Columbia Presbyterian's ER I'm glad the weekend is over and life can return to normal. I'd like to chalk several of the events that occurred up to the sauce so I will blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol.

The image above was reason for the ER trip. The hand met the sidewalk and the sidewalk clearly won. Luckily there was still blood on the hand when I took the pic- shit could be Pulitzer worthy. Everybody was so wrecked that we all thought she broke her ankle, cause she kept saying, "grab my ankle, grab my ankle." Then we saw the hand and the "OH SHIT!!" chorus began. The pinky was fucked to the fucked up- wicked witch of the west status. To make matters worse I wasn't able to get a slice. I could have sworn the spot was open before we hit the bar. I was bugging.

Below is how the hand looks now. Dislocated pinky, fractured middle finger, and possibly some other damage. That's one fat hand.



Just some beats to accompany a drink fest. Mind you I primarily mess with the beer (can Patron it up if need be), but liks are more prevalent in hip hop tracks. Especially the Hen-rock, the most vile liquid on the planet. How anybody can enjoy that is beyond me. Not the greatest collection, but with enough sauce this mix is grammy worthy. Pardon any drug references, certain joints were package deals. If there are any glaring omissions, let me know and I'll add. I'm still drunk. Really doe, as Dre would say.

Tha Alkaholiks ft. Ol' Dirty Bastard- Hip Hop Drunkies


Three 6 Mafia- Sippin' On Da Syrup


Mobb Deep ft. Q-Tip Drink Away the Pain


The Beatnuts- Pyscho Dwarf


Dr. Dre- Gin And Juice


Dr. Dre- Puffin' on Blunts and Drankin' Tanqueray



B.G.- Hennessy & XTC


Lord Sear- Alcoholic Vibes


Black Sheep- Pass the Forty


Cassidy- My Drink and My 2 Step


Tha Alkaholiks- Only When I'm Drunk


Nas- Drunk By Myself


Young Black Teenagers- Tap the Bottle


A better image of the permanent "W". Rep that shit- and to all you mark ass busters, West Up!!!!



WC and the Maad Circle- West Up!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

April Showers Bring May Air Force 1s.



Uptowns baby, uptowns baby...


It was a long winter. But the hibernation is finally over and look at what the nice weather has brought us. On some ninja shit, these joints tip-toed into the stockroom and nobody knew. No sites, no blogs, no forums, no internets- nothing. On Thursday I was told to hit 21 Mercer on Saturday and that was it. I was able to get a little more info and a peek at one of the supposed releases and my interests were piqued.



What we have here are 2 treats, both exclusive to 21 Mercer. The light grey pair was what got me open. Only thing was that the pair I saw was a dark gray, closer to graphite with the ice sole. Shits are so mean. Instead a metallic platinum/matte silver pair was released, style # 381663 001. These are a rare treat and actually the try on pairs for the Air Force 1 Low Premium MX ID, the newest version of the Air Force 1 ID. The try on air force pairs are always a shade of gray and always dope.



This newest version of the IDs have a supreme air force sole, meaning a visible air bubble. There has always been one, thus the "AIR" in air force 1, but until recently it was tucked away. Now you're able to create a sneaker with that sole. The IDs retail for $300, but don't worry, I didn't pay that much. All they cost me was some donuts, not just any donuts. Doughnut Plant donuts. And the Blackout joint. Fucking incredible. Words can't express the greatness. That's the new shit- donuts for kicks. Barter (batter) makes the world go round.



The quality is next galaxy. Creamy soft leather with a suede swoosh and heel tab and the ill sole. Simple. I'd compare them to a a really basic pasta dish with great ingredients. Home made pasta, some fresh mushrooms and a little butter from a local cow named Betty topped with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. Capiche? I'm going to call these shits my tagliatelle con funghis. So Italian.




The next joints are part of the Nike 1World series, "18 global influencers harking from the fields of sport, design, music, art and fashion. Each one a visionary. Each one a lifelong devotee to the Air Force 1." That comment is a bit of a stretch but until I'm a 1Worlder I can't say shit. Remember these?

Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United designed these and I have to admit, he did his thing. Again, really simple, but the little touches here and there make these shits say uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- Nah nah nah nah. Several gold swoosh on white air forces have been released over the past couple of years but the quality was terrible and they didn't validate a purchase. Not true- I copped the 25th anniversary pair but never wore it so does that count? If a sneaker is purchased but never worn and then sold- was it really part of the lineup? I think not.



Like the ID samples, these are on some next level quality. Premium leather sitting on an opaque ice sole. The air unit is visible if you look hard enough. The ice sole raises a red flag as it has the potential to turn piss yellow, but time will tell. The box labels are getting really confusing. No longer does it just say "Air Force 1." As the pair above has to be deciphered, so do these. Air Force 1 Low Sprm INFL6. Sprm being Supreme and INFL6 being Influencer. Not sure why the number 6. Colorway is white/metallic gold- university blue, style # 352633 171. That's another thing, why are there so many different style numbers- the first 6 digits- for air force 1 lows? Whatever.



The toebox, side panels and heel tab have crocodile textured leather and it should be noted that at all seams the leather is pleated, showing no stitch. I don't really dig that look as it makes the back and toe panel appear puffy, but I'll ride with it for now. The eyestay has gold stitching which works real well, and the tongue label is baby blue with gold letters. Baby blue and gold is a win. UCLA, Minneapolis Lakers, Nuggets, etc.



On the right foot a "V" is stitched on the heel tab and on the left a "5" is. For some reason I've always dug the intricacies such as heel tab, ankle and insole graphics, especially stitching. The dubrae on the right foot reads LF-1 06 while the left foot reads TF-1 08. No clue.



The insole reads:

"IF...."I got to play just 1 minute of professional football, I would die a happy man!"
Rio Ferdinand

Not that it really matters who Rio Ferdinand is, because I would have copped anyway, but he's highly celebrated as the centre back for Manchester United and a member of the England national team. Since Man U is sort of like the Yankees in terms of dominance and he's the stand-in captain for the team and he's of mixed descent, he's kind of like Jeter. Rio, if you're reading this, you should be extremely flattered.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The Crawfishal Crawfish Crawl 2009.



I haven't given much love to the crawfish in the '09. Not because they haven't been on my mind, believe me they have, but the opportunity to get biz with several pounds hadn't presented itself . That all changed a couple of weeks ago. I posted about the crawfish boil at Flatbush Farm in Brooklyn and that got me out of my funk. The idea of seasoned crawfish with a cold pint outdoors on a beautiful spring day is close to perfection. So to Brooklyn I went.



Real cool, cause Brooklyn's cool
...True indeed. Does every restaurant/bar have a garden in the back? That is the buttahs. I fucking love Brooklyn. If only it was in the Bronx. So we headed out to BK to satiate the crawfish jones. Place was dope- dark wood bar in the front with a huge patio/garden in the back. And the boil was boiling. I saw the huge pile of the rich red critters and I was open. The menu offered 3 items- jambalaya for $6, gumbo for $8 and crawfish for $10. I noticed that the crawfish platters were served with jambalaya and that was a red flag. All I wanted was the crawfish, nothing else. I asked the chef and he obliged.



The boil wasn't as spicy as usual, letting the true sweet, butteriness of the meat shine. These were some real plump suckers and as good as I expected. But a dilemma unfolded. What would a HowFresh event be without a dilemma? At 10 beans per plate, probably 3/4 of a pound per serving, a lot of loot would have to be dropped in order to fully quench the crave. So a decision was made- my time was up, peace out to Brooklyn- and we were off to Mara's. It wasn't a question. Yeah, it was great being outdoors and being part of the boil, but this was not a game and business had to be finished.

So the spaceship took us from the Planet of BK and dropped us in the galaxy better known as the East Village at a nebula named Mara's. In these parts the crawfish are in abundance and amiably coexist amongst the weirdos and hipsters.



Shit was simple. Crawfish, oysters and Abita. A dozen Louisiana oysters for $6. Probably the best oyster deal in NYC. Large, fresh, sweet, and slightly briny. Horseradish and hot sauce. H squared. Delicious. Another dozen could have easily been handled, but the crawfish were on deck.



If you look in the bucket, you will notice there is no corn, potato or mushroom. As stated earlier, this was strictly business and we wanted no distractions. We dove right in. 3 lbs for $20. The best (and only) deal in NYC. The boil was spicy. Way more intense than at Flatbush Farm. But like the seasoned vets we are, we adapted to the circumstances. Just needed to sip from the pint glass a little more often. That's what pitchers are for. I think we were drinking Abita Andy Gator. Shit was like champagne.



This was near prime season so the crawfish were of ample size. Tails measuring close to 2 inches. Hardly any straight or uncoiled. This was a live and healthy bunch. The 3 lbs went down quick. I forgot how much I loved this. A shame it took me so long to partake.



I don't know many people that eat crawfish, so the numbers are skewed when we talk about preferences. Everybody eats the tail. Of course. But what about the head? I suck the head, pause, to get whatever boil is chilling in there. But more than that, I dig my finger up in there to dig out the yellowish innards. The freshwater foie gras? I might be onto something. Most people think it's disgusting, but they're scared. Man up suckas.



Unlike a lobster, there isn't much meat in the dwarf cousin. I have a hard time seeing all that good shit go to waste. Since my boy doesn't fuck with the head, I take the carcasses and work at my own pace. It's a very therapeutic endeavor.

Turns out there was a crawfish boil yesterday on the East River hosted by Crawfish NY. UPDATE. A crawfish boil for NOLA 2009, was planned for yesterday and today, May 16 & 17, at SolarOne. Due to inclement weather the event will now take place next weekend, May 23 (3 pm - 7 pm) & 24 (4 pm - 8 pm). This is great news. One, I wanted to mention this in advance, so now I am, and 2, I wanted to attend but was unable to. Now I'm in that bitch. Saturday was sneaker drop day- post coming real soon. For $60 beans you get 4 crawfish pours (4-5lbs of crawfish per person) along with corn on the cob, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, sausage and spices served with unlimited beer and New Orleans Hurricanes. Outdoors on the river. Watch the mermaids while you eat tail. Holla. For more info click and to to buy tix HERE.



There's a little more than a month left in crawfish season, so don't feel bad, you can still enjoy. Just like the happy camper above. The idea of a HowfreshEats crawfish boil is in the works- possibly late June, so stay tuned. Throw in some Heiny kegs, hot dogs, and hip hop and we got a H-oliday. Shit will be serious.

Crawfish NY presents Crawfish Boil for Nola 2009
May 23-24, 2009

Mara's Homemade
342 East 6th St Between 1st & 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
212-598-1110
www.marashomemade.com
6 Train to Astor Place, R,W Trains to 8th St., F,V Trains to Houston and 2nd Ave., L Train to 14th St. and 1st Ave.

View Larger Map

Sunday, May 10, 2009

The One Night I Have Legends Suite Yankees Tix a Hip Hop Show Starts on Time.



What the fuck? Did a memo go out advising of a drastic overhaul to hip hop's business model? You mean to tell me HowFresh isn't on the distribution list? I would think I've spent enough money on tapes, CDs, records, shows and whatever else to at least be kept abreast of such change. Well after some research I was able to find this...

From: Hip Hop
To: Hip Hop Head
Date: April 4, 2009
Re: General Improvements

#8. Beginning on May 1, 2009 shows will start no later than an hour from what is printed on the ticket. No exceptions. For years we have disrespected our fans, having them wait around for hours while artists got high or drunk in the green room. Now that CD sales are at an all-time low we feel that it is in Hip Hop's best interest to begin respecting the consumer.

The show this post is in reference to is the Cam'ron "Crime Pays" album release event at Highline Ballroom last Monday, May 4th. The show sold out quick fast and I was lucky enough to snag a pair of tix in the 11th Hour. Please look at the highlighted bottom part of the ticket- doors at 8 pm, concert at 9 pm. Those words usually hold as much weight as a do not jaywalk sign.



Only dilemma- Yankees v. Red Sox ticket. Bigger dilemma, Legends Suite tix aka 2 months rent aka the most expensive baseball ticket in the free world. Biggest dilemma, front row behind the Yankees dugout. It wasn't even a question. First pitch was slated for 7:05 pm. Simple mathematics would say that the Cam show would be a go. Hip hop mentality pre-memo, that is.

Ahh, but it couldn't be that simple. The rain came and didn't want to leave. So it became a race against the clock. But it still wasn't a question. Legends Suite tix = all you can eat. Even if there was no action on the field, best believe there was action in the Ketel One Club. A sleek underground bar (below field level) with a multitude of flat screens to take in the game while you're getting your honeycomb hideout on. The shelves stay stocked with the goodies. Carl's cheesesteaks, lobster rolls, chicken fingers, mini sliders, hot dogs, M&Ms- plain and peanut, popcorn, twizzlers, and soft drinks. It felt like I was stealing every time I grabbed something. Should have been rocking the Where Are You Yeezys cause this shit was most definitely the good life.



Did I mention there was a pasta station too? Penne bolognese playboy. Kiss, kiss...get em girls.



Don't forget the bathrooms. Flat screens on the mirrors. Preserved glacial ice sheets from the Arctic as the counter top. 600 thread count disposable hand towels. And the smell. Wow.

So after close to 2.5 hours...PLAY BALL. It was nasty outside, rainy and raw. But they keep the aristocracy laced with warm coffee so who am I to complain? How can I ever sit in grandstand again after lounging in the lap of luxury? The Cam show was still a possibility. Finally left in the 6th with the Yanks down 4-3. I hate leaving early, but there was a party to attend with some real hood rat women and the world of Harlem.

Fast forward to midnight, driving east on 16th between 10th and 9th Aves, A fucking ghost town. Not even the post-show stragglers. Nothing. Doors closed, and no trace of life. I was bugging. It was Cam- how the fuck could this dude arrive on time and actually perform near schedule? All of a sudden he's the people's representative with "I Hate My Job" and this? We miss the Cam on Bill O' Reilly and 60 Minutes. That arrogant jerkoff that doesn't care about anybody but himself. Years ago I would have applauded this professionalism, knowing I had an early class or had to be in the office. Today it is just unacceptable, especially when I'm juggling several events. Hip hop go back to the Tramps days, the good old days when the show wouldn't end till 3 am. That way I can have my cake and eat it too.

At least we got the internets to show us what we missed. Still would have rather caught it in person. I know it would have been dope, even though the NY Times would like to differ. Who would have ever thought that you can go to the place responsible for "all the news that's fit to print" and hear some "Cookies & Apple Juice." Cam will be on Charlie Rose or interviewed by James Lipton before we know it. KILLA!!

Intro, treats and Get Em Girls


Dipset Anthem and Wet Wipes


Classics



To catch more peep HERE and HERE.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Why Can't Life Always be This Easy...I Get a Call Like You Won the Yeezys.



The second installment of the Nike Air Yeezys dropped this past Saturday, May 2nd, to hype beyond hype beyond hype. The Yeezys have generated the most hysteria for any sneaker in recent memory. Both releases had the skinny jean army bugging. Shuffling like crazy, getting denim burn. Whoa. The first pair, a gray colorway, dropped a month or so ago and I had no clue. It felt great to not be aware of the nonsense. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. The problem is I need to be that ear to the street for my 30 plus married with kids peoples, so it's imperative I grind hard. This kid is slipping.

If by now you're still unsure, yes, these were designed by Kanye West who apparently designed these to be a "doper person."



The game is all fucked up now. First cats started lining up days in advance and now stores are having raffles to prevent the rowdy crowds. I don't blame them. At least order is preserved and every pair is spoken for. Never again, at least for the foreseeable future, will you be able to casually walk into a store and cop a "limited" or "exclusive" sneaker. Not when stores get 18-30 pairs. Shit is ridiculous. I was at Nike Mercer on Thursday around 6pm and people kept rolling in to sign up for the raffle. It closed promptly at 6, so if you were a minute late, you lost. The boat left the dock. You should have seen the disappointment on the faces. Girls trying to use their sex appeal to sway a no to yes but the Nike massive would not waiver. Cold hearted cats. Ice box in the chest status.



On Friday, May 1st, at approximately noon, I got the call. Better than being offered a job. Better than that chick you had that super crush on calling you on a Friday night. I would compare it more to getting a call from the Yankees telling me they were going to draft me in the 16th round and were excited about HowFresh joining their organization. I had been chosen. They were allowing me the opportunity to spend $224.41 on a pair of Air Yeezys. All of those "please, you're welcome and thank yous" finally paid off.



Well, here you go. One of the ugliest sneakers I've ever seen. Kanye, you're crazy for this one. Though not as crazy as the Leweys. Black lycra-type toe box that stretches towards the back around the ankle, light gray suede mud guard, black patent strap, black leather back panels and eye stays with the letter "Y" lasered all over, neon pink lining, ankle straps that have "Yeezy" stitched, a pink lace lock designed in a letter "Y", a glow in the dark outsole and a Jordan 3 midsole. I believe that covers this footwear hybrid. The Jordan 3 outsole is cool. That's about it. The shits are high. Taller than Air Force 1 Highs. More on that Supra hipster bullshit. I'm just not that stylish. I'd like to believe that if I was in high school and around all these terrible trends that I wouldn't succumb to the peer pressure. And if I did, that my parents would beat the balls off of me to teach me a lesson.

Catch me stunting hard in these shits. And I'll be singing...

"50 told me go head switch your style up and if they hate then let them hate and watch the money pile up... the good life."




Manny Got 99 Problems and a P.E.D. is One.



Dodgers attendance... "It's about to go down!!"

"She said Mannywood You Rich, Take the Doo Rag Off."


Damn Manny. I shed a tear today. What's happening to the sport we love? Honestly, he was the last dude I'd think would get caught in this shit. Thought his G-d given ability was all he needed. You always hear the stories about his superhuman workout regime while attending G Dubs and figured he paid his dues au natural to get where he is. It's unfortunate for the sport. But maybe it's a blessing in disguise and will force baseball to really step their game up. Where you at Bud?? Between the A-Rods, Giambis, Sheffields, Clemens, Pettittes, Sosas, McGwires, Palmeiros and Bonds (damn that's a lot)- we all knew this shit was prevalent- but none of them got caught in the act (sans Palmeiro), at least present day. The impact and shock isn't the same. Finally a superstar was caught and will pay the penalty. One of baseball's most prized personalities at that. My jaw hit the floor when I first heard. Maybe Joe Torre will write about the syringe and pill laced Dodger clubhouse a couple of years from now. Jerk. I feel for you Donnie Baseball. Still love you.

Manny released this statement earlier today:
"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.

I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

I find it so mind boggling how players can still use the "the dog ate my homework" line. Please. I wouldn't risk getting caught doing anything at a 30G per year job. But a player making $20 mil plus is unaware of medications banned under the policy? That shit makes absolutely no sense. Motherfuckers are the most privileged individuals on the planet who get paid super bucks to play a sport they love. And they play that naive shit? Officer, I didn't know it was loaded. Seriously. Sorry, can I go now? My bad yo.

On a personal level, I love the dude. He slapped Youkilis during a game. He's a hero. He has fun playing the game. This shit bothers me way more than A-Rod basically because A-Rod's a jerk. Other than his stats he doesn't bring anything to the table and if it weren't for pinstripes, A-Rod could eat the dilz. I never rooted for Manny on the Sox, but always enjoyed watching him play the game, or lack there of. I finally get a chance to support the dude, and POOF, he's gone.

Real talk, I'm glad I didn't draft him in the 2nd round- best believe he was on my radar. At least the Dodgers have the highly paid Juan Pierre on their bench. You add his steals to Manny's numbers and you might have the greatest player ever. I can dream can't I. This is karma getting back at Torre for the slander he spewed at the organization responsible for him living the good life on the West Coast.

Hopefully they'll start selling "Free Manny" shirts on Dyckman.

What baseball will miss:

Peep Manny and the wave. Wasn't able to embed the link.

Manny the interpreter


Manny aka Allen Iverson

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

HowFresh Eats Citi Field aka the Shea-k Shack.


It wouldn't be right if HowFresh only did a Yankee Stadium review. And then another review. I might be labeled biased or partial. Never that. HowFresh reps NYC- all parts. Even the boroughs I don't really care for.



The Shea-k Shack, I think I need to copyright that. Citi Field wasn't doing it for me anyway. There's no identity with that name- too generic. And we all know that the Yankees run the city. But I don't want to make this a mud throwing contest. It's bad enough the stadium is located in Siberia. Nothing like the friendly confines of 161st and River. You can't find parking there, unless you use a lot ($18), which I don't, and Shea's freshly ground rubble is still sitting there, a stadium cemetery. The chop shop district is BANANAS. Shit is a 3rd world country. Dust everywhere and potholes. I thought I broke the whole transmission- motherfuckers are just ready to pounce once they see the injured animal. Next time, if there is one, the 7 train will be the chauffeur.



Big shout to the 3 cats drinking Bud cans in front of the stadium that sold my boy a ticket for $5. There still are some decent human beings out there. They even showed love to a cat with a Yankees hat. That definitely set a nice tone for the events to follow. Outside the stadium are all the engraved bricks and stones. I read that there were some inappropriate ones that got through but after scouring a bunch I gave up. I had a Shack Party to attend. The one above was decent- should have been a P and not an M. Shocked Jackson Smith even recalls any of those memories.



Entering the Jackie Robinson rotunda is cool but it doesn't feel like a baseball stadium, more like a museum, or Capital building. Aside from the huge blue 42 (24 backwards works for me) and some images of Jackie and the Dodgers, there's nothing to give the feeling of a baseball stadium, and especially a baseball stadium where the Mets play. Fucking Yankee fans ruining photos. I apologize on their behalf. Such dirtbags. Learn some manners.

Unlike Yankee stadium, there have been food write-ups, reviews, and mentions of Citi Field food for months. I knew exactly what I wanted and basically where I had to be. The good shit is in the outfield, primarily center field, where it feels more like a Boardy Barn party than a baseball game. The lobster roll and shack burger were tops on the list. After that, whatever caught my goat. I was unable to find funding for this recon mission so I needed to be a bit more selective. I still got it in.




After passing various stands including Nathan's, Brooklyn Burger, World's Fare which housed Daruma of Tokyo and Mama's of Corona, I had a moment upon spotting Catch of the Day. I would finally have a lobster roll at a baseball game. My life was about to change. Fuck a $5 hot dog. HowFresh all grows up. $17 lobster rolls. Ask somebody. I get so open over seafood, too open probably. I was so focused on this one. Ordered the lobster roll ($17), a cup of Long Island clam and corn chowder ($4.75) and a 16 oz. blue point lager draft ($7.50). David Pasternack of Esca was behind the menu and on first observation it looked like he put together a nice little selection.




Definitely not the catch of the day though not quite an error, more like a routine pop up that got lost in the sun. The potential was there but not executed properly. The lobster roll was packed with meat, a positive, but lemon juice overpowered it. Reminded me of disinfectant. Not a good look, especially for 17 beans. The lobster was cooked well, but I couldn't really taste its natural sweetness. Served on a toasted and buttered split top bun, the lobster was joined by some celery. Basically I tasted lemon and celery. Scurvy is so last century. No need to keep fighting it.




Heard the clam chowder was on point so it joined the party. More watered down than what I'm used to but was enjoyable with ample enough amounts of fresh clams and celery and onions. The better of the 2 dishes at CotD. For $4.75 a definite value. The Blue Point Lager out of LI was the beverage of choice. Word is the flounder sandwich is the winner.



Again, more Yankees rudeness. They saw me taking pics and kept trying to get in them. The above one snuck in. Assholes. But yes, the Yanks are so amazing, even if they're having some early season issues.




As we made our way toward center field aka the main event, another beverage was in order. Similar to Yankee Stadium's Beer vendors, Big Apple Brews has a very broad variety of both domestics and foreigns. $7.50 per bottle, though you can get 16 oz. drafts for the same price. Do the math dummy. The stand is dead center in the CF pavilion surrounded by all types of grub. A nice pit stop for a brew before you embark on the Shake Shack journey. Had the Staropramen Pilsner because I was told the more syllables, the higher the alcohol content. No complaints.




Finally. The only reason I even came out to the Shea-K Shack. Maybe not the only but close to. Of course there was a line, but what would the Shack be without one. I would have been worried- like they ran out of patties or something. The Shack Burger is priced at $5.75, a dollar more than both NYC locations. I can fucks with that- especially when a dog can run you $5 to $6. Had some very enjoyable conversations with Mets fans- all tried dissing Yankees Stadium as some King Midas creation but they were uneducated and talking wreckless. Had to school them. As well as advise them that the Shack Burger is the TRUTH. See that, a Yankees fan dropping science in CF. Beltran, your days are numbered. In all honesty, Danny Meyer runs CF out there (He is responsible for Shake Shack, Blue Smoke, El Verano Taqueria, and Box Frites). Dude is 5 tools, 1st round draft pick with keeper value. WOW.



I read somewhere that the burger was a bit off at Citi. Couldn't be farther from the truth. Perfection in a bun. True story. Medium cooked flavor filled patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and shake sauce on a potato roll bun. Read more about them HERE and HERE. The wait wasn't that bad. Shorter than what you experience in the city. Screens are all around to watch the game. You cannot see the field from CF, a mistake in my opinion, since that's the most appealing place to be. Missing a Luis Castillo pop up isn't really a big deal anwyay. Washed the burger down with a Shackmeister Ale, a Brooklyn Brewery American Pale Ale- 16 oz. for $7.50. Smooth beer with a slight citrus taste that compliments a salty cheeseburger. I meant to get a black and white shake but lost track while I was ordering.





Blue Smoke, to the right of SS, offers 3 dishes- a pulled pork sandwich, Kansas City Spare Ribs and Chipotle Chicken Wings. My boy had the pulled pork sandwich. Served on a sesame seed brioche bun with a generous amount of swine. Nice tangy flavor but a bit dry. A little more sauce (pause) would have done the job. I saw some chick going to work on the ribs, and while this is just an observation- they looked meaty and moist (pause again). Worth a shot next time.

I was probably kind of wrecked by now thus the reason I completely passed on the tacos at El Verano Taqueria and the fries at Box Frites. Cold beer goes down real easy in plastic cups at baseball games. For real for real. These stands are located directly across from Shake Shack. This is unacceptable. My apologies for the lack of due diligence. Especially since I wasted money and stomach space on some of the worst nachos in the universe.




In completing a counter clockwise tour of the field level concession area we ran into Nachos Grande. The only reason I even considered them was based on the success I had with the Moe's Billy Barou Nachos at Yankee Stadium. I was going to have a HowFresh "throwdown". And I was pretty confident that "The Yankees Win!!! The Yankees Win!!!!" Win they did. Not even a competition. This shit was offensive. Notice I said shit. I prefer not referring to food as shit, but this was an exception. The steak nachos ($9) consisted of shredded beef that had an odd smell and a taste to match. You know that old steak smell. Yup. The jalapenos were way too crunchy and not that spicy. The chips were bland- not salty enough. No wonder they weighed close to a pound. Slop is cheap. 3 attempts was all I could do and then they hit the basura. You hear that Omar. Your nachos are basura.






Above and below are some images of menus from spots I didn't hit. Daruma of Tokyo (sushi) and Mama's of Corona (Italian fare- sandwiches and so on) are located in the World Fare Market in the RF corner.


Nona Delia's Pizza is the last vendor before reaching the CF oasis. Pizza looked decent- like real NYC pizza and not Pizza Hut puffy little pies.




Nathan's and Brooklyn Burger were located on the field level 1st base side. There might be more through the stadium.

That was it for the grub. After those nachos it was a wrap. Plus I was heading up to the grandstand and knew I wasn't going to make it down to CF again. I had a game to watch. Time to see my boy Cantu get busy. The stadium confuses me. Green seats with the black outfield wall with orange trim. I know the green seats are paying homage to the Polo Grounds, but where is the royal blue? No matter how much I dislike the Mets, at least rep your shit. There is absolutely no identity at this stadium. Granted, who wants any memories of Shea, but at least have the colors, logo, Mr. Met, and so on. After all the place is a baseball stadium where the Mets play. Not just a huge out door amusement park that sells the better ball park food in NYC. Sorry Yanks. But like our first president, HowFresh cannot tell a lie.

A non-food post to follow shortly.