Chicago Cubs

Because of my need to live it up Chicago style, I went to a Cubs game on Tuesday. The Tuesday choice wasn't an arbitrary move, but was selected solely based on the promotion offered at the ball park that night. They were giving away hats to the first fans through the gates!

I, like a good consumer, am very motivated by promotions. For instance, my local Jewel-Osco (That's a grocery store, peeps. I don't know why it has a dumb name.) just started a promotion for cookware! I'm saving up for the 9.4-inch sauté pan with lid.

Well, the hats got us in the gates, but there were other reasons I needed to go to Wrigley Field.  I wanted to see the ivy covered walls, I wanted to see the rooftop seating, I wanted to see the drunken stupor in the streets after the game, I wanted to be jammed with a million other people on public transport.

I wanted to see the Cubs maybe have a shot at winning. So when I saw that the Cubs were hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates, I figured it might be a good game, seeing how neither team is very good. I was wrong. The Pirates killed the Cubs. Shot 'em, skinned 'em, and hung 'em out to dry. It was sad. But I got a hat. And I had a Chicago hot dog. Remember when you came to my Chicago party, and we recreated the traditional Chicago hot dog to the best of our ability? But we weren't sure we wanted to dye the relish neon, and we didn't know how to obtain sport pickles on the west coast, and also no one was sure what they looked like? Remember that? Well, I am in Chicago to find a job in advertising, but I am also here to bust through various Chicago myths and misunderstandings.

Behold: the fresh toppings of a Chicago hot dog.

The game was a lot of fun, despite the miserable loss. I got to see all I came to see, and also, I got a bonus keepsake: 

A sheet of paper, stating my first visit to Wrigley Field was on August 31, 2010. It's suitable for framing.