Top 5 Things To Do Upon Your Citi Field Return

by The 7 Line March 01, 2021 0 Comments

This is a guest blog by Joe Barone.

Close your eyes. Well, figuratively, because you need to read this.

Think about the sights: the standstill traffic as you patiently await your turn off the parkway ramp, the tossing of cornhole bags as you navigate each lot, the variety of names on the back of jerseys making their way into Citi Field.

Think about the smells: the sausage and peppers grease, the charcoal grill tailgates, the Blue Moon burp from the drunk dude two rows in front of you.

Think about the sounds: the clank of Cowbell Man, the “STRUCK HIM OUT” chant when Jacob deGrom records K No. 10, the “Back in the New York Groove” anthem blaring throughout the stadium.

Thank you @Noahsyndergaard for me having no voice for the next few days. #SitHimDown #HeStruckHimOut #Wooo @The7Line #OpeningDay @Mets pic.twitter.com/prEvXKoxBD
— Finley CFS (@FinleyCFS) April 4, 2017

Did you get chills? I did.

It’s almost here. And there’s nothing we crave more than to be back in Flushing this spring, summer, and yes, fall.

These are the top five things I can’t wait to do upon my return to Citi Field.

Number 1: Tailgate

Call me a fraud but I’ve never actually tailgated at a baseball game before; only football. The most I’ve done was get to the stadium early, have a couple of handcrafted Italian heroes from my guy “Bobby” at B&A Pork Store in South Brooklyn, and get into Mets therapy sessions with my cousin.

It’s time. No more excuses. It’s time to pack the grill, get to Citi early, crush a few Miller Lites (sure, judge me), and toss the ball around.

After all, the tailgate builds up our anticipation.

Number 2: Find my favorite chicken sandwich

I’m looking for a go-to in 2021. Citi Field has options.

Emma’s Torch on the Promenade has one with vegetable slaw, harissa mayonnaise, and seasoned fries. Honestly, the mayonnaise turns me off. But the seasoned fries may save this.

Fuku, out in centerfield, is certainly tough to beat. They have two options – one that is habanero hot and another that’s in a sweet and spicy glaze. The fries are seasoned to perfection but if you suffer from occasional heartburn like me, well, pack a few Tums.

You’ll probably need them in the ninth inning.

I’ve never tried Lil’ Sweet Chick in Sec. 103, but they offer the “OG Fried Chicken Sandwich” with a tomato, some lettuce, and herb mayo, and the “Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich” with bread & butter pickles.

My promise to you is I won't stop until I find my favorite.

Number 3: Wowfulls

If you haven’t tried this yet, it’s probably because you’ve walked past the long line in Sec. 121 and thought: “What the hell is this for?”

Trust me, it’s worth the three-inning wait. Forget the diet for a day.

I need Wowfulls and I need it now.

Among the new food at Citi Field: Wowfulls. Here’s the Home Sweet Home, which features a Hong Kong-style waffle and pocky, which I am told at the concession stand is a kind of "sweet Japanese biscuit stick." #Mets #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/2Dzg8ct8Ro
— Matt Marrone (@thebigm) March 29, 2018

Number 4: Snag a foul ball

“Joe, are you a child?”

Yes. There is no bigger adrenaline rush than sticking your arm as high as it can possibly go and catching a foul ball barehanded. I’ve done it before and it’s wild. And if there’s a kid around, give it to them. Don’t be that guy or girl!

That barehand sting will make me feel alive again

We stan this hero that:

- Snags a foul ball one-handed, while holding a beer
- Only spills a tiny bit of the beer
- Hands the foul ball to a youngster. pic.twitter.com/4G1fSOLBsW
— Cut4 (@Cut4) July 17, 2019

Number 5: Chant “Let’s Go Mets!”

Self-explanatory.

Follow Joe on Twittter.