HellaFrank

I saw this on a marketing blog I read, and it made me laugh. It’s kind of like putting Jose Cuervo on sale for Ramadan or Filet Mignon on special for Diwali. Gotta love it…

Well it’s the second day of Channukah and snow is falling, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and call it a white Channukah… Pretty exciting! I guess the odds of having a white Channukah are 8 times what they are of having a white Christmas, right? I wish I had that argument in my back pocket as a kid when I’d argue with friends about whether Channukah or Christmas is better. The eight days of presents was a pretty good one though… Of course, I haven’t really gotten eight days of presents since about the age of 10, so that one’s out.

Oh, where to begin. How about I start with my birthday. It started off with a few hours of work and then walking around and exploring this amazing city with my roommate, Ari, and my friend Nic who was visiting for the weekend. Dinner at Cafe Mogador, really good, then the fun and sometimes dangerous birthday night out… I had a few drinks, a couple shots, yadda yadda yadda, we went to central park the next day.

Central Park is incredible. Hard to believe you’re really in New York, and lacks the weird homeless people sleeping in the bushes that we know and love in Golden Gate Park. Oh, and dogs aren’t allowed to crap everywhere.

Saturday night, more of the same, and Sunday consisted of a nice stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge with Chaya, Sam and Nic. I can’t say I was to excited about that activity of the day initially, but once we were there, it was awesome:

The weekend ended with a horrible 49ers game, horrible, and a little Curb Your Enthusiasm, but what I have failed to mention is the highlight of the weekend. Birthday? Fun, but not the highlight. Hanging out with a bunch of close friends? Fun, nostalgic, but sorry guys, not the highlight. Chicken and lamb over rice at 3:30 in the morning Saturday night or the unbelievable French toast I had this morning? Delicious, but again, not the highlight.

Well, I know the suspense is killing you, so I’ll come out and say it. The highlight of my birthday weekend was the CUBS MAKING THE PLAYOFFS!!! Nothing like a little October baseball… You gotta love it!

Alfonso and Carlos:

Another story from Yom Kippur that I thought I’d share is called the Jewish Beer Dilemma.

After services, my friend Chaya and I went to a friend’s house to waste away some hungry time. Flipping through the channels on TV, the best we could come up with was a Yankees rain delay and some really awful college football matchups (Cubs were on but no FREAKIN’ WGN!).

We settled on the best game we could find – Louisville vs. Syracuse. Riveting. Actually it wasn’t, and Chaya and I resorted to betting on trivial aspects of the game for a dollar each. Examples were “hey Chaya, this kickoff will be caught within the ten yard line, yes or no?” or “hey Jeremy, there will be a running play in the next three plays, yes or no?” Ridiculous. Gambling, essentially. Exactly the kind of activity us Jews are supposed to be doing on our day of repentance… Right.

We then left the house, Chaya up five bucks, and both of us starting to feel a little delirious — destination: Professor Thom’s for the Michigan football game. Then came the big dilemma…

As the game rolled into the third quarter, the bar became excessively hot and the bartender made an announcement that the A/C had shut down. It was uncomfortable but I was too hungry to move, so we stayed, surrounded by crispy amazing fried treats and massive nacho plates.

The bartender came to our table, apologized for the heat and in what seemed like slow motion, delicately placed a frosty, tall, glowing pitcher of beer on our table. Wow, exactly what I wanted at that specific point in time. Exactly. What ever was a young Jew like myself to do? On the one hand we are taught that Yom Kippur is the holiest holiday, fasting is very important and to respect the tradition. Couldn’t agree more. On the other hand, if we’re talking tradition, how many Jewish people’s parents, grandparents and probably great-grandparents would ever turn down a great deal like that?!?!? Yeah, that tradition goes pretty far back for all of us I think.

Well, Mom, I’m proud to say that I stared that pitcher square in the eyes and generously passed it along to the goyim sitting with us (besides, I think it was Bud Light).

In the back of my mind, I wished I could have watched this dilemma as an outsider, leaned over the Chaya and said: “Double or nothing Jeremy doesn’t cave and drink the beer.” Instead I bought him half of his meal later that night (see: Break-fast at Katz’s)

Yesterday was Yom Kippur and after a long day of fasting and watching Michigan football, I thought I’d end the fast in style. A couple of friends and I went to Katz’s deli (since 1888!) and had an amazing meal. Overall we ate knishes, potato pancakes, blintzes, lox, bagels, egg creams and an amazing piece of cheesecake. It hurt a little, um, a lot, but it was well worth it. I think I want to try their hot dogs next time – seemed like hot item. Here’s my pastrami sandwich and egg cream (FYI, there are no eggs in an egg cream):

Apparently if you ask for mayonnaise you get smacked upside the head. Look at how thick that pastrami is… Phenomenal.

I also just tried via phone and internet to get Cubs playoff tickets, which went on sale today — no luck. But, I guess we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves since there are seven games left in the season. Cubs are 2.5 games up in first place, but weirder things have happened to those lovable WINNERS!

THE MAN!