I just got back from an awesome trip to see my dear friends in North Jersey and my favorite band, Guns N’ Roses in NYC!  When my friend Heather told me that GNR were planning on coming to Madison Square Garden, I didn’t even have to think about it, I said, “I’m booking my flight as soon as you get the tickets!”

Friday

My plane arrived around 9pm on Friday night and Heather and Sean came to pick me up at the airport.  It was so nice to see them and when I walked outside and took a breath of the New Jersey air, all I could think to myself was, “I love and miss this place so much!”.  I literally couldn’t stop smiling and this trip couldn’t have come at a better time since I’ve been feeling an overload of emotions lately and just needed a break.

Saturday

Heather runs the Kristy Fund and she needed some help with collecting Skel-A-Mingo’s from people’s lawns around her town (please visit her website about the Skel-A-Mingo haunting’s that she organizes during October and other fundraisers that she has going on all through the year in memory of her dear friend, Kristy). It was great to be with her during haunting season so I could meet the Mingo’s and help out a little.

For dinner we had the best pizza in New Jersey at V&J Pizza.  This place blows all the competition away!  I love me some Delio’s in South Amboy but V&J Pizza is my all time favorite pizza!  I mean, look at the picture below!  My mouth is watering just looking at it!  It’s a masterpiece!!!!

That night Heather and Sean invited some of their friends over and we hung out by the fire drinking beers and laughing.  The weather was perfect and I got to meet some really cool peeps!

Sunday

Before I start talking about the concert, I have to mention the plain bagel with scallion cream cheese that I had for breakfast and the awesome Italian sub for lunch from King’s Kid Deli in Pequannock.  As you probably already know from some of my other posts, it’s all about the food when I come to New Jersey.   I try to eat as much as I can then come home and starve myself. Ha!

At around 3:30pm we left for NYC to see Guns N’ Roses.  The concert started at 7:30pm but we wanted to get into the city early so we could have some food and drinks at Stout which was down the street from The Garden. We shared delicious chicken fingers and an artichoke, spinach and cheese dip to DIE for!

I have to give a HUGE shout out to Heather for the tickets she got for the 7 of us!  We had amazing seats in the first row on the 2nd level.  We had TV’s in front of us, extra leg space and a sill to hold things (like my beer!).

Now onto the concert..OUT OF THIS WORLD!  I think they had one of the best openings I’ve ever seen!  The build up to the opening song was a train on the screen with each place they have played so far.  When it got to MSG it stopped, everyone started screaming and they started playing “It’s So Easy”!  I think I had chills! They played many of my favorites including one from the Chinese Democracy album called “Better” (This was when the original GNR band broke up and Axl toured as GNR with other musicians).  They belted out one song after the other like “You Could Be Mine”, “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Don’t Cry”, “Estranged”, “Mr. Brownstone”, “Night Train” and ended with “Paradise City”.  They definitely did not disappoint and Slash has to be one of the best guitar players on the planet (although I already knew this before the concert).  I was in awe watching him!  He just didn’t stop and I couldn’t stop watching with my jaw hanging!  He’s one of those guitar players that is so good that the guitar is like an extension of his body.  It’s meant to be there and he knows it so well that he doesn’t even have to THINK about it.  He’s so natural and his sound is so distinct that when you hear him play, you KNOW it’s him.  He’s in a league of his own that’s for sure! As for Axl and Duff, Axl seemed to be struggling a little with his voice at times but that happens when you’re touring for 2 years straight!  However, it didn’t change that fact that he is Axl “Fking” Rose!!!!  Duff has always been a great bass player and seeing him and Slash playing together again was just epic to experience!  I don’t know what else to say about this concert except, yes, I got to see GNR “In This Lifetime!”

MONDAY

Recoup, food, recoup some more, Skel-A-Mingo’s, food, recoup….you get the drill.

TUESDAY

I woke up and looked at my phone to see what the weather was outside and when I looked, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.  It’s 35 degrees!?!?!  Whoa!  A little chilly but I was excited that I would be able to experience cold and crisp air before I went back to humidity hell! Yes, it’s still humid in Florida in October.  Just shoot me!

My flight was scheduled to leave at 10:50am.  I like to get to the airport about 2 hours ahead of time only because you never know what the security line is going to look like.  Heather and I left with plenty of time to spare until we didn’t have any time because of all the traffic!  What the hell are people doing on the road at 8:00am?  Shouldn’t they be at work already?  Needless to say, my anxiety level was at 1000 (although I wouldn’t have minded missing my flight and staying in NJ a few more days!).  We finally got to the airport and I did the hug, kiss, tuck and roll out of the car and made it to security with only 4 people in front of me.  Props to Heather for her amazing driving skills (I was a little scared, I’m not gonna lie) and her calmness during my almost meltdown…ha !  Love you!

In the end, I had a wonderful time in my home state with my awesome friends and a little GNR to make it a perfect trifecta!

Heather and Sean’s front yard graveyard

The Killian Clan

Below are some videos from my trip.  My goal was to make a YouTube video but some of my videos didn’t come out so great.  Guess I’ll stick with blogging for a while until I can pull my YouTube game together!  Feel free to enjoy the ones that DID come out decent.

View of Daytona Beach on my way to New Jersey

Stout in NYC

Don’t Cry

The AMAZING Slash!

NYC

Till next time…

~Stac