Chicago is my favorite place on the planet. I loved growing up in Overland Park, DC is a great place, and I live in (ish) South Bend presently, but Chicago is my home. There is just so much to like about this place. It has a huge amount of business, so you can get pretty much any job you want here. It’s got a very unique and beautiful architectural design, with tons of skyscrapers located in the downtown area. It has a comfortable living area less than 5 miles from the center of the action where you can live on a street lined with trees and very safe street parking. There is no arrogant attitude. Chicago doesn’t need to go around telling other cities how important it is, it just IS important and feels like home. It has Lake Michigan where people can get a break from the hot summers. There is just too much to like about this place. One of the best things is the Chicago Cubs.

The night before the game, we had the pleasure of meeting brothers Adam and Andy LaRoche, 1B and 3B, respectively, of the Pirates and Brandon Moss, recently acquired right fielder. We gave them some Peaks to wear during the game and I am pretty certain that’s the reason Brandon hit a home run the next day.

Wrigley Field, a place I’ve been many many times, is one of the most unique stadiums in all of baseball. Many will say it’s a run-down dump (including many players who cite the lack of uberluxurious clubhouses) that needs to be replaced, but to those looking for an authentic baseball experience with rabid fans then there is no better place. The Cubs manage to sell out every game, even during the years in which they were pretty terrible. Here the haters will say that the Cubs fans are just stupid and the team never had to get better because they still got plenty of gate revenue but this viewpoint is shortsighted. People kept turning out for games (even while losing) because going to Cubs games is FUN. A Cubs game is an experience – to take in the ivy, listen to a celebrity sing the 7th inning stretch, watch a HR ball by an opposing team be thrown back. It’s also perfectly situated in Wrigleyville (clever) on the corner of Clark and Addison. Here you can step outside the stadium, cross the street, and continue celebrating at 3 blocks worth of bars.

For me, nothing beats sitting in the Bleachers. Here, in free-for-all seating, you’ll find the most rowdy Cubs fans, with a beer in one hand and another waiting nearby. I understand this section isn’t for everyone – it’s the young adult section. Here we can enjoy ourselves and yell insults (ranging from the crude to the creative to the crudely creative) at the players in the outfield. (Side note: Players enjoy this. Brandon Moss told me so. Many funny stories can be told about these stories.) There is a more fraternal atmosphere that makes the game much more involved. It doesn’t hurt for entertainment value that there is pretty much always a fight of some sort nearby. I took the family here last year on my birthday, and…let’s just say this year we got regular tickets.

Thanks to our continually amazing hookup, we got to sit right behind homeplate, and take in a new view of Wrigley. The view was great and the weather was even better. Getting to the seats is a bit of a hastle, because while the corridors on the ground level are big enough, they are constantly crowded. The food options are standard baseball fare, and nothing particularly special (however, the brats, Chicago-style, in the bleachers are amazing). While new stadiums boast high-tech surroundings and the newest offerings around the stadium Wrigley field is a no-frills experience. If you came to be pampered, forget it here. There’s no jumbotron, no ballcap game or stupid kiddie areas. If you came for baseball, you’re home.

Cubs celebrate a go-ahead HR from Pinch Hitting Reed Johnson

The game went well, with the Cubs winning a thriller in honor of my 25th birthday. Despite more baseball games to come for me, this was the finale of an amazing trip. It was great to spend all this time with my dad and will certainly be a memory I’ll keep with me my whole life. It has put me in a good position in my quest to attend a game in every major league stadium. There are so many stadiums, in so many different models, and in so many different cities, but one thing remains constant – on the field, the same game is being played. It doesn’t matter where you’re at, it’s an amazing game that will always stay (mostly) the same.