Sept 28 - 29, 2024 New York, New York
The big year for me continues as I hit an age that people make a big deal of. Not sure why, it's just another birthday and another number, but I suppose taking the time to analyze it, it IS a big deal, a milestone in one's life that we all hope to achieve. A number that used to be tough to reach like 100 years ago, but now a tragedy if you don't. Anyhoo, just a quickie post about a quickie trip that my big bro brought up and that he thought would be special. IT WAS, everything except for the reason why we went. The lonely NY Jets. Lonely at the bottom of everything, lonely losers, not the only desolate franchise in all of sports, but certainly one of them. The organization, the franchise has tried hard in their eyes, to become a top team, a competitive one and this season had the same outlook. Well here we are in mid December as I write this, and they are nowhere again. Abandoned, alone, isolated, estranged, forsaken and secluded. Any other synonyms I forgot? Luckily when my brother suggested a trip to see them it was early on in the season and we were hopeful and had a positive outlook, as we do, in support of our football teams. We decided to take the boys this time, the 4 of us. My brother and his boy and me and mine. I guess I need to tell you why the Jets. He is 6 years older than I and somehow he had an infatuation with Lam Jones. A prolific athlete who competed in the 1976 olympics and drafted into the NFL in 1980. Then along came Richard Todd and Freeman McNeel and Wesley Walker and who of course could forget "The New York Sack Exchange" with Gastineau and Klecko, Lyons and Salaam. The team looked promising as always and of course had some success but never a sniff at the big prize. As younger brothers do, they follow, and as older brothers do, they influence. I guess I was a Jet fan now. Well as fathers do, they influence, and as sons do, they follow. Now that we have multiplied, so has the Jet following. My sister in law wrote a classic all time text after we sent her a picture of us at the game and it goes like this - "Making memories and passing on a tradition of a losing team! LOVE this photo!" I mean how good is that! Anyhoo, we had a very quick one nighter in and out and a lovely dinner and some great lunches and we got soaked at the game and they lost 10-9 to the Broncos on what was yet again a lonely feeling. All in all though, we did make some memories and while the tradition of the Jets ahs been passed along, I am hoping that the many other traditions too will pass down, like family, adventure, laughs and all round fun. We booked the hotel the day before we left and it turned out to be great. Luckily the mattress was not as deep in the trenches as our beloved Jets.
SET UP
The Bernic Hotel by Hilton. East 47th between Lexington and 3rd. Great location, although what isn't a great location in NYC. 1 king bed in a clean standard hotel room. Luckily I got the last one, as my brother had to settle for 1 queen bed to share with his son. HA! I'm sure it was cozy. A bar right next door that knew my name and some good takeaway shops around the corner for a breakfast sammy and coffee.
MATTRESS
Somehow and not quite sure why, I didn't pic this particular mattress, but I can tell you that it was a Serta and was worn a bit. The label manufacture date was 2018. Not horrible, but might need a change soon as it was a bit uneven in parts. The Hilton does a nice job of using mattress protectors and covers and a down alternative pad, likely to mask the true comfort of the mattress, but overall a nice sleep with no aches or pains when I awoke. I asked the boy how he slept and how the mattress was and he gave me the 16 year old answer of "I'm on my phone".
OVERALL
An 11 am flight gets us into the hotel around 2PM and a great time for lunch at the 2nd Ave Deli. Love the deli's and love 2nd Ave. A classic that I would put up against Katz's, Stage Door, Sarge's and prior to closing Carnegie. I love them all, but 2nd is first for me. A great 36 hours spent with my big brother, my son and my nephew. Win or lose, live sport, albeit in the rain, is the ultimate bonding time and we had a blast and lots of laughs, wet bum and all! 🌧🏈🥩😋🛫☔💦
GREAT RELATED LINKS
Just a peek at the intro's. It was wet.
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