The View From Row U

Holy mother of Moses!  You guys, this year's Stanley Cup Playoff (hockey) is already so exciting!  If you are new to this little space you should know that this girl loves hockey and to be more specific she loves the Anaheim Ducks.  In case you do not believe me or think I am a bandwagoner, you can read of my love here here and here.

Last night, from the comfort of my couch, Penny and I watched the Ducks come back from 2 -4  against the Dallas Stars and win 5 - 4 in overtime. I was very excited as was Penny. I think my whole condo complex knew what was happening during the final five minutes of the game. I was that excited.  With their win last night the Ducks are moving on to the second round of the playoffs and will either play the Kings or Sharks, a California series that will be epic.

I am sure as the playoff wind on I will give you a guide of sorts, but that is not what today is for.  Today is about the thrill of seeing playoff game in person.

On Friday my buddy Justina and I made our way to The Honda Center for game five of the Ducks Stars series.  I had saved some money knowing that the Ducks were going to make it to the playoffs this year and I needed to see a game. Actually I won some money in Reno when I went to the sports book and bet on the Ducks, so it seemed appropriate to use that money for a game.  Because it is the playoffs tickets are pretty pricey and we could only afford the ones in the very last row of Honda Center, Row U.



Despite the highest seats ever, we made the best of our situation.  We were positive and decided our seats were amazing because you could see everything and there was no one behind you that might kick you or spill their beer on you.  We also had the nicest family sitting next to us that had positivity oozing from their pores.  They kept offering to buy us things and were so proud of our hockey knowledge.  They gave Justina their orange Ducks towel when one of our neighbors stole her's and the nice family ran us down because she left her cell phone at the end of the game. I think I adopted them, but forgot to tell them.

[caption id="attachment_1523" align="aligncenter" width="600"] You can see the whole game really well from the top. And there is no on behind you to spill their beer on you.[/caption]

Life in Row U was shaping up rather nicely.  There were some rather ruckus Ducks fans sitting on the other side of the nicest family ever, but they were three people away and cheering for my team so it was cool.

Then the unthinkable happened.. During the first period a group of Dallas Stars fans sat right in front of us in Row T.  I honestly didn't care that they were Dallas fans, I did however care that they were bereft of social graces and kindness.  The man who sat in front of me decided that he was going to let everyone know who he was cheering for despite the detriment that it might cause the beautiful young lady sitting behind him.

He moseyed on over to his seat in section 403 Row T seat 2 and sat his booty down whilst wearing the following headwear during the game.



I paid $50 to look at this stupid cowboy hat all night long.  By the way, how completely out of place is a cowboy hat at a hockey game?  It is almost as bad as 6 inch hooker heels, another post for another day, but worse, because it blocked my view of the best hockey team ever.

To be fair he did take the hat of for a good part of the game, but whenever the drunk Ducks fans from Row U would start to get all riled up and yell slurs about people from Texas (something about steers and well you know) he would place that hat back atop his head. I guess he really wanted us to think he was a steer.

At one point I was so fed up with cowboy that I very kindly decided he needed to be a gentleman and a true cowboy and remove his hat while indoors. I leaned forward and had this conversation with him.

"I am not sure why you are taking your anger out on me.  I am a really nice person." - Really Nice Erica

"What are you taking about." - Rude Cowboy

"Whenever you put your hat on I cannot see anything.  I am not the one who is yelling terrible things about people from Dallas.  I am just trying to watch some hockey and enjoy the game, but I cannot because of your hat." - Blessed are the peacemakers Erica

"Whatever." - Cowboy leaves his hat on.

"Hey you should take of your hat, she is really nice!" - Girl sitting next to cowboy who was taking selfies all. night. long.

"What?" - Confused Cowboy

"Please just take off your hat, I want to see the game." - Me

With reluctance he takes off his hat, for a few minutes.  He then returns the hat to his head every time the Ducks scored a goal in the third period (that was three times). 

The game ended and I saw a pretty good portion of it and left the Honda Center feeling rather serene for my passive resistance to the social injustice that I encountered (joke! I know that this was nowhere near social injustice).

Although I did find the sliver lining of sitting in Row U I would in no way be opposed to the Anaheim Ducks giving me seats at the glass or a box for a playoff game so I can actually enjoy the sport the way it was meant to be enjoyed, not behind the dumb cowboy hat of a fan of the opposing team.

I am also pretty sure at this point in my blog journey the Ducks should make me the blog ambassador for their organization. I will go to all the home games, take fabulous photos, and educate all the blog readers on why hockey is the best sport ever.

Anaheim Ducks, organization, I promise you I will make so many beautiful women hockey fans in a year that you will need to make this my full-time job.

[caption id="attachment_1519" align="aligncenter" width="600"] We love the Ducks![/caption]

Enough of this tomfoolery, but really Ducks I will be your ambassador for the blogs, think about it.  Dear readers, in case you are interested in loving hockey now is a great time.  We are moving into the second round of playoff and things are heating up.  I will be back later to this week to fill you in on all that is happening in hockey,

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="214"] via[/caption]

Paul Simon and Sting on Stage Together

This last weekend I took my mom to go see Paul Simon and Sting on Stage Together.

The concert was so fun and I had a lovely time with my mom.  She grew up listening to Simon and Garfunkel and then raised me on their music.  It is very much our mother daughter "thing.'  Around her birthday I saw a commercial advertising the show at the Honda Center in Anaheim and I knew I had to get tickets for her birthday earlier in the month.

We started off the night at one of my favorite places JT Schmid's and had my favorite meal of salmon, veggies and rice.  And a lovely banana briose, which I could eat every day.

After we stuffed our faces we went over to the Honda Center to get ready for the show.  I loved the audience at this show.  There were so many baby boomers there that I instantly felt young and amazing!  Of course there were some hipsters like myself there too, yeah right like I am a hipster!

My favorite people were the grown ups who never quit being a hippie at heart, dancing like no one was watching even though we were all watching and loving it!

Before we could go in I realized that the security for this thing was really tight and my mom and I were trying to smuggle in water.  I told her to "be cool" and not act weird when we were being let in so they wouldn't really look at our water bottles.  She said "I am always cool!" and then blew it.

The security guard asked to look in her purse and she told him, "I don't think so."

Goodbye water!

I am surprised they let us in with her clearly anti-establishment attitude. But we did get through and enjoyed the random musical styling of Paul Simon and Sting ensued. And I loved every minute of it!

I would have never thought to put Sting with Paul Simon, I mean they are so different, but it worked.  They were a little comedy duo too.

The show was so seamlessly executed that it was three hours of non stop music!  They would play a few songs together, solo, together, solo.... and on and on.

One of my favorite moments came when Sting sang "Roxanne!"  One of my favorite things to do is sing that song, very silly and it was 2700 times better in person. Also I thought about this friends episode the wold time which made me laugh.

The whole concert was so much fun and I chair danced with the best of them!  I usually stand as close as I can, but with the mom I toned it down but still had the best time ever.

This photo was an accident but it felt artsy so there you go. I am pretty sure it should be an album cover now.

My all time favorite song by Paul Simon is America.  The pictures that come to my mind when I hear this son are beautiful.  It also makes me want to get out and see more and more of the world.  I am pretty sure a lot of people feel that way about this song but dang it I love it.  I was a little bit bummed out that Paul Simon didn't sing it.  Sting actually sang it and did a nice job, maybe I almost cried

Overall it was a wonderful evening that I would recommend to anyone.  I had fun with my mom, jammed to some sweet tunes and remembered that I like other music more than country music (sorry country music you are fun, but I gotta go with my heart!)



Does anyone else out there love Simon and Garfunkel as much as I do?  What are some bands or songs that define your life?

Why You Should Love Hockey

I want to welcome everyone who is here today because of a little giveaway on Sarah's blog!  I know some of you are only here to get that entry on the giveaway, but I really hope you stick around and read a few posts.  Some of my favorites are Miley Trying to Ruin My LIfe, Things This Blogger Has Yet To Say, and You Are Doing OK Dog Mom.

[caption id="attachment_432" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Here is a picture of me at my favorite place, a hockey game![/caption]

When I sat down to write today I thought it would be the perfect day to write about sports.  I can hang with the guys and talk shop about almost any sport, but I don't really care about all the sports.  When it comes to sports I only have one true love… Hockey.  Since my love of hockey began a few years ago I have found that people are either really into hockey or could care less.  For those of you who could care less I get it, I mean that was me too.

I think the only reason you do not like it is because you just have not been told why you should like it.  That is where I come in.  I am going to channel my inner Venus and give you a simple beginners lesson in hockey and hope that it at least inspires you to watch a game or two.

My team is the Anaheim Ducks.  Yes as in the Mighty Ducks from the awesome Disney trilogy of movies.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="700"] I need to go watch these movies again. Look at Emilio, so young, so fresh.[/caption]

Although the real team is no longer the Mighty Ducks, thank God, and they never do the "Flying V" they are amazing!  They won the Cup in 2007 and  will again this year, they have the best record in the league right now.

1. Fast and action packed play

Hockey is an extremely fast paced game.  The total playing time is 60 minutes. Which is divided up into 3 periods.  Between each period there is a 20 minute intermission.  The twenty minutes is just the right amount of time for a HIIT workout, Pilates DVD, cleaning spree, or dinner eating.  Then it is back into the fray for more action than your little heart can handle.

If the game is tied at the end of regulation the teams play a 5 minute sudden death overtime.  If a team scores the game is over.  If no one scores they go to a shoot out.  Whichever team makes the most shots wins.  This is so intense and worth watching.

2. The games are  easy to follow

So there are a lot of rules in hockey, which we can get into later. But you only need to know the basics here.

5 men per team on the ice at a time

1 goalie in the net per team

Power play - When your team has more men on the ice than other team on the ice (because the other team got a penalty)

Goal - what happens when the puck goes in the net.

Stanley Cup - The winning team of the year are the Stanley Cup Champions

Of course there is more to it, but if you get this you get most of it.  If you want to know more look at the photo below.



3. It is a crazy hard sport to play.

In case you do not believe me can you please think back to the last time you went ice skating.  How many times did you fall down just trying to go around the rink once? If you are like me you never actually got off your butt the whole time.  These guys are so athletic and crazy good at their sport.  Really it is something to admire.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="628"] I would have fallen over five seconds before this photo was taken if I was on the ice.[/caption]

4. THE MEN ARE HOT!

I wrote a whole post about it here.

You can play "my new boyfriend" and pick the player you think is hottest and then whenever he gets a goal or a point the game is that much more exciting.

5. Carrie Underwood married a professional hockey player.



In case anyone else wants to be Carrie Underwood this is another way she has you beat.  She married Mike Fisher now on the Nashville Predators. How great is this couple, country music, hockey, Jesus lovin', beautiful: it is my dream come true, but Carrie stole it.

6. You can reenact this scene from Friends



7. Tickets prices are not super crazy

I have never actually sat close enough for #6 to happen to me because those seats are pretty pricey!  Even if you sit at the top you can see the action.  I haven't spent more than $30 on tickets and I have a great time every time I go.

8. There has to be a team near you

If you can not choose a team to like the Anaheim Ducks are so stinking good.  If you decide to like them then you will look like you joined the bandwagon because they are going to win the Stanley Cup this year, but just tell any haters Erica told you it was cool.

It is also an international sport.  You can travel to Canada, watch some hockey and eat some donuts.  What more could a girl want?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] You can pretty much be Robin Sparkles![/caption]

9. Reasons to wear your cute winter clothes and UGGs

Another plus is the jersey you wear to a game is pretty big so if you gained five holiday pounds no one is the wiser.



10. Fighting is encouraged



Yes Hockey has fighting, and yes, they guys just punch each other.  If you have never seen a full-blown hockey fight you need to, it is dazzling.  I usually watch in awe as they are able to punch each other in the face while on ice skates without falling on their faces.  It is a think of beauty.  In case you are wanting to date a hockey player I thick it is best to stay away from the one known as the "fighter" on the team.  For example Patrick Maroon and Matt Beleskey are the fighters on the Ducks.  While I think they are great at hockey and energizing their team I would run the other way if I saw them on the street.


I hope I have convinced you to at least check out a Hockey game in the future.  Watching from your TV is fun and all but you have to go to a game to really catch the hockey bug.

If you are in Southern California maybe I will see you at Honda center soon!



Oh and below is the information on the giveaway I mentioned hosted by Venus Trapped In Mars!

Princess Burlap   :::   Not Entirely Perfect   :::   Young and Entertaining   :::   Endlessly Beloved
Sweet Magnolia   :::   Living in Another Language   :::   Pink Sunshine   :::   Venus Trapped in Mars
My Cup of Sparkle   :::   Southern Finesse   :::   Kate the Almost Great   :::   A Caffeinated Brunette
Sarah Christine Style   :::   So Much Sunshine

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