Let’s face it, the Red Sox are not what they used to be. They have become a team and an ownership which is more concerned about the business aspect of the franchise than the product they put on the field. It’s become a stadium of pink hats and sweet caroline rather than a stadium of the guy sitting on the side of you who knows everyone’s batting average from the other team and can’t miss a play because he records every single pitch. Living on the Vineyard it can be a pain to get to a game. Take a boat, stay in a hotel. You are looking at a 700-800 dollar plus night to see a baseball game and stay in Mayor Mumble’s city. I just don’t have the motivation with the product the Sox have been putting on the field lately. Well a good friend of mine was nice enough to throw me a couple of EMC Club tickets for the Sox. The EMC club is the former 406 club which is behind home plate directly above the screen and below where the commentators sit. The EMC Club seats are not your average seats. What I call this is – this takes all the stress out of going to a baseball game. I know, I know most of you are saying how stressful is it going to see a baseball game. When I mean stress I mean waiting 16 deep for a beer. On a hot day entering the men’s bathroom and seeing some druken fool yelling out Yankees Suck and urinating all over himself when the Sox are playing The Blue Jays. That’s just stuff these days I don’t need to see anymore.

So we took a trip on Tuesday from the island to the Yankees Red Sox game. The EMC Club has a special entrance. It’s called the Absolute, as in Vodka, Club. You go in there and you can just tell you are somewhere that everyone isn’t allowed. You need to show your EMC Club ticket when you go in and they treat you like they like you. There are old time Fenway players pictures on the walls and you can easily get a drink before the schmuck across the street at Boston Beer Works even gets a look from any bartender. I grabbed a bloody mary and my girl got some kind of absolute green montster drink. We both enjoyed them very much. Ten bucks each, but they were very good and you have to remember where you are.

We hit the elevator to the actual EMC club. We had reservations in the restaurant there. Again, you have to have EMC club tickets to eat in the restaurant. Gives you that “private club” feeling like you are a part of something so many are not. We were promptly seated by the hostess and I had a nice view of the 2004 and 2007 world series trophies in front of me. I have to admit I was totally on the bandwagon in 04. Larry Luchino walked in with two pals while were there. Big smile on his face. Shit, I would be smiling if I owned this joint too.

The place was jammed at game time because it was a Sox Yankees Game. So the service was a little on the slow side. No big deal when you are in this atmosphere. Plus the only place I had to go was to my seats which were thirty seconds away. I had a tv on one side of me in case I wanted to watch the game they were playing in back of me. The waitress was pleasant. I ordered a beer and my girl wanted to try the squash blossoms for an appetizer. Squash blossoms, huh ??? Sounds like an 80’s cover band. I of course

obliged and we got the squash blossoms. Never had squash blossoms before. They were very flavorful. They were stuffed with some kind of fancy cheese that tasted very good. Only problem – two of them. Fourteen bucks. I had one and almost felt I needed more. The presentation was nice, but as guys do we really care that much about the presentation. Take your half cherry tomato back and give me a couple more of those fried thingys. Overlooking the menu we both opted for the $23.oo EMC Burger. 2 bucks for mushrooms and 2 bucks for onions. An absolutely ridiculous price for a burger but again, look where you are. They are selling hot dogs down stairs for 5 bucks a whack. $108 w tip for two burgers, two squash blossoms and one beer. And the Sox are in last place. Christ we win the world series again I won’t be able to afford a bottled water there.

The burgers came and they were good. Not the best I have ever had, certainly not the worst. They came with cheese and bacon and the fries were good. We probably sat in our seats to watch the game around the third inning or so. It was actually a close game with the Red Sox pulling it off and winning it at the end. The seats are great. Another thing takes the stress out of the game. Your section has its own person waiter. You tell him what you want, he punches it in his little computer. A little while later someone brings whatever you ordered to you. You can get beer, popcorn, fries, soda, chowder, almost whatever you want right from your seat. No lines, no waiting, no missing the game, don’t even have to get up. Give the guy your CC card at the beginning of the night and don’t have to worry about paying every time either. Again, takes all the stress out of going to the game. They do everything but go to the bathroom for

you. And when you do have to go you have a nice marble bathroom with mohogany wood and a television just in case you are so into the game you can’t miss it. No guy in there yelling and screaming drunk out of his mind. No two tough guys in there pretending they are going to be cool and get in a fight. No line, no waiting.

No doubt about it, the EMC club is a great place to be if you are lucky enough to be able to go.

Follow @mvfoodguy