The Spectacular is Spectacular

Last week a lifelong dream was fulfilled -- I got to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.

My friend Sandi had come for a visit back in November and mentioned how much her brother really loved the show when they went last year. She didn't seem particularly excited about it and said she probably wouldn't go back for a while, but I was salivating at the thought of all the glittery costume, high kicks, and Christmas regalia.



Lo and behold, Sandi had a change of heart and decided to take her kids and Mom for a day trip into the city to see the show -- and she invited me. (Thanks Sandi!) We went to a Tuesday afternoon matinee last week.

Not only was the show everything I wanted it to be, but I even got to see one of the Rockette's wipe out! Nice!

It was a great day, and Sandi's family is simply wonderful. Her kids are of the rare breed that I didn't mind dining with in a public. Her 4-year old son Aidan was charming as he flirted relentlessly with our waitress. Ava, at age 2, told me she was "fashion foward" and would behave "like a lady" in the restaurant -- it was all true!

Sandi, thanks for letting me join you for the day ... it was fantastic!

VICTORY!!!!

This past week has been one for the books. Everybody knows the Phillies won the World Series, putting an end to whatever mythical curse has lurked around our city for the last 28 years.

Can I tell you how good it felt to be part of it all? (No, I'm not on the team ..... or one of the ball girls .... I wasn't even at the game.) But I watched almost all of the games from the beginning of the season. With each milestone that was reached, Phillies Phever grew. As a Philadelphia sports fan you get use to being disappointed -- better celebrate this milestone in tall fashion because the likelihood of making it to the next one is pretty much nil.

I drive past Citizen's Bank Park almost every day of my life on the way to and from work. On the first day of Game 5 I looked at the park from the highway and thought, there's good karma coming out of the that place .... this is it. This is the game that's gonna make history.

I was right in more ways than one. The big weird rainstorm rolled into town and shut things down in the middle of the 6th inning. Night one of Game 5 was indeed a night that made history, but in a way no one ever expected. It wasn't until 2 nights later that our team of heroes did it! I watched the game, barely breathing for at least the last 5 minutes of the game. In my heart I was convinced they'd win, but you just didn't know until the last strikeout came. And then all hell broke loose!

The scene in my South Philly neighborhood was unbelievable. Even the hardest of hard-nosed sports fans, people with skin thicker than shoe leather celebrated, cried, hugged and danced in the streets. It went on for hours. No, sorry .... it went on for days.

And so that's where I've been. Soaking it all in with my fellow Philadelphians.

Friday I got to go to the Championship Parade, and I'll never forget it. If you've never been surrounded by 3 million people who are nothing but happy and proud, then you've never experienced what's it's like to be a Philadelphia sports fan with a winning team.

The parade was incredible, and as the floats carrying our players, owners, managers, and announcers rolled by, I was right in the thick of it. This disco bubble was so excited I thought I'd nearly burst! My heart was pounding as I took pictures and Queen's "We are the Champions" blasted from the speakers at the party behind me. The players sang, I sang, and we took pictures of each other. Have I mentioned how spectacular this was?

And did I mention how hot Jayson Werth is?

Anyway, the parade was positively exhiliarating. Every person in the city was in a good mood. Happy and proud to be a Philadelphia Phillies fan.

I never thought I'd say this about anything, but it was even better than Christmas.