CATCHING UP!

Where ‘ya been?  It’s been a minute!  Yes, all of that applies given the absence since last posting.  So what’s been going on?  Well, here we go:

September brought us the end of the Hollywood Bowl season (two concerts attended), the end of the Dodgers regular season (always tense) – four games attended; back surgery (low back/nerve issues); enjoying two in-person speakers at different events; and hosting a bridal shower at my home.

Below, High Tea for the Bride to Be

October brought us the Jewish High Holidays and the baseball post season.  Talk about a loaded schedule.  We were there for Games 1 & 2 vs. the Padres and would have been there for the deciding Game 5 had it not occured on arguably the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – the evening of Yom Kippur.  Fortunately it was a very fast game which we watched at a restaurant (yes, in the spirit of Sandy Koufax we sold our tickets).  We made it to our nearby services just 15 minutes late.  And very happy.

Next up were the NLCS games 1 & 2 vs. The Mets.  Of course we must allocate 5+ hours for attending a game between traffic, arriving early enough and however long the game goes.  Then watching every minute of the three away games.  Game 6 (which clinched the series) coincided with the wedding for which the shower was at my home, so I had to miss that. One must honor commitments! But many of us at the wedding were sneaking peaks during the vows to follow along.

And finally, the long-awaited World Series.  The last time the Dodgers were in the World Series was 2020.  It was incredible traveling to Dallas to witness that in person — read my post from then HERE.   

Below, same crew in Dallas 2020 and Los Angeles 2024 – with ticket partner/uber-fan Jon Fleischman

This time it is what all us fans dreamed of:  home-field advantage, playing the Yankees in a historic match-up of the likely two regular season MVP’s (Ohtani & Judge), and a relatively healthy roster.

Game 1 provided a positively epic ending.  Extra innings, bottom of the 10th, down a run, bases loaded, two outs. One swing. History made and witnessed courtesy of Freddie Freeman’s grand slam.  Dodgers come from behind to win 6-3.  All those Hollywood folks in attendance would kill to be in a script with that kind of ending.  I can’t imagine the stadium going more crazy if this had been a series ending hit, and not just a single game.

For those not baseball fans, some perspective.  Game 1 World Series – Dodgers vs. Oakland, 1988, at Dodger Stadium.  The hubby and I had a “disagreement” as we had a social commitment that night.  Not yet being a baseball fan myself, his going to the game did not go over well. He went to the game and I became a fan the next day — I’ve happily never looked back!  Thank you, Kirk Gibson.

Someone actually figured out that, not only were these two historic walk-off home runs hit to nearly the same spot, but they apparently both occurred at 8:37pm on their respective nights.  Both Game 1’s.  But Freeman’s is the only walk-off Grand Slam in World Series history.  Best takeaway?  The hubby saying this one meant much more to him by having me and son Sam with him.

Below, had to get this for the hubby.  That is how announcer Joe Davis made the historic call.  

In between, there is travel stuff!  Putting the final touches on this month’s trip to Antartica and planning/booking the big Spring 2025 trip.  That one will take us back to South America (Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina) and 5 islands in the Caribbean (Aruba, Curacao, Tobago, Grenada and Barbados).  That is a lot of planning fo sure.

Below, Antartica itinerary.

Back to the stadium for Game 2, where Freddie’s introduction was positively deafening.  And, of course, another home run. Dodgers win 4-2. Downside:  Ohtani injuring his shoulder.  Will he play again this year?

Game 3 – at Yankee Stadium.  Surely the Yankee bats will come alive and prevail.  Outcome:  near silence from the Yankees until the bottom of the 9th.  Dodgers win 4-2.  Ohtani plays and Freeman has another home run — clearly an MVP-worthy performance.

Game 4 – at Yankee Stadium.  Son Sam is there courtesy of a dear friend who was given two tickets from Dodgers’ announcer Joe Davis. Red-eye flight after Game 3; back home before Game 5.  The ugliest fan interference by Yankees in right field grabbing the mitt of Mookie Betts.  That is NEVER ok in any sport.  Ejected from game.  Spoiler alert:  They paid for it big time.

Below, someone came up with the best meme ever, inserting our trophy where it was originally Mookie’s mitt the “fans” were grabbing.

And, that afternoon, I was stuck for hours at a medical facility after a steroid injection.  At game time, I started to cry until someone gave me a charger so I could watch the game on my phone.  Agony!

And, finally, Game 5 – where the Yankees were up 5-0 until a complete 5th inning implosion with errors and sloppy play allowing the Dodgers to tie the game.  Yanks led again 6-5 until the Dodgers took the lead 7-6 and did not look back.  And everywhere in L.A. absolutely went crazy.  We did it. I love LA – the Randy Newman song that plays at the precise moment we win at home.  What a season.

Below, photos from the watch party at our family business The Cellar Beverly Hills