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But, particularly after Sunday's game against the Phillies, I was searching for some other way to get a baseball fix. I watched my old VHS of 1962-1986: An Amazin' Era (the "Traces of Love" sequence about the late-1970's Mets is still poignant). I watched the Let's Go Mets Go video on Youtube (do you think Joe Piscopo had to sell those bobbleheads to pay the rent?).

So I headed to Citi Field on Monday with a different frame of mind. After all, while the 2009 season has cratered, the Mets have a new stadium to enjoy. Would it be possible for Citi Field to sustain my interest if I utilized every part of it other than watching the actual game?

I brought along my wife, Rachel, for the experiment, because 1) what entertains me isn't always what entertains well-adjusted people, 2) I wanted to have a more evenly-distributed gender makeup for my experiment, and 3) because it wouldn't seem nearly as creepy as if I were hanging around the Kids FanFest by myself. (Apparently, I've reached the age where if I see a heartwarming scene of mother and daughter and involuntarily smile, mother will think I'm about to steal her baby and glare at me.)

12:09: We arrive at the Rotunda. There's been a lot of criticism over this being too Brooklyn Dodgers-centric, and I don't get it. It isn't like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier for one team... he broke the color barrier for all of baseball, and it happened in New York. It's a beautiful tribute, and try as I might, I never get tired of seeing Robinson and the other Brooklyn Dodgers honored.

12:13: We enter the Mets team store. I am definitely of two minds about the store. On one hand, the inflated prices allow those who want to cry poverty to say it is impossible to afford a day at the game because four tickets plus four sodas plus four meals plus four souvenir hats is really expensive -- never mind that everything but the tickets is inherently unnecessary. (You can, after all bring your own hats, and your own food.)

On the other hand, I love looking at all the memorabilia, large and small, that is available for sale. Did you know the Mets have their own art gallery in the team store, featuring Charles Fazzino? Balls, helmets, even Fazzino's 3D take on Citi Field? A little self-referential, I know, but worth the visit.

My favorite items are the game-used jerseys. The popular players have long been purchased, but you can still get a Kyle Snyder! A Darren O'Day! A Valerio De Los Santos! And two Rob Mackowiak jerseys... home and away!

They have a healthy number of "Players Choice" shirts as well-shirts designed by the players themselves. The Gary Sheffield is a particularly interesting one-on the front is a psychedelic design. On the back is a demand to be traded to a contender.

But they really do have everything here. In retrospect, we should have waited to marry, and registered here. Fifteen minutes fly by.

12:28: Time to hit the Shake Shack for some lunch.

12:35: Arrive at Shake Shack line.

12:44: Reach the "Enter Here" sign for Shake Shack line.

12:49: There's a really crabby guy in front of me who is angrily denouncing Danny Meyer. "I'm supposed to be happy from the moment I enter," the guy says. "That's his philosophy. Well, I'm waiting on line, so I'm not happy."

The Shake Shack burger is a glorious achievement, and therefore a wait seems not only justified, but appropriate. Imagine if V-J Day came in a week; would it be nearly so iconic?

Ardie Bogard, from Bayside, had the right idea. He bought some Box Frites as his Shake shack line snack.

"This is modern, it's new, it's fan-friendly," Bogard said between Frites. He'd been to Shea Stadium many times, and said, clearly, it didn't compare to Citi Field.

He shared some Frites with me, and as we waited to be summoned by the Shake Shack, we both reflected on the fact that while we loved going to Shea, the primary activity outside of baseball was betting on which bathroom was more flooded, the one on the first-base side or the third-base side.

1:14: Served! Rachel foolishly got the single, while I indulged in the double Shake Shack burger with everything. Do yourself a favor and avoid other indulgences for about a week, then get the double.

While Ardie pointed out that "you can get good barbecue anywhere", the advantage to the Shake Shack line is a view of the game from the line. Obviously, you can't watch the Mets in the Shake Shack line in the Flatiron District. Fortunately, as I was trying to avoid the game itself, what we saw mostly was a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner sung by, based on the display, Shane Victorino. He's bustier than I remembered.

1:17: We grabbed a table in right-center field and enjoyed. Next to us was a group brought by Dan LaBert, a lone Mets fan among Phillies fans living in Allentown. He said it is unbearable, and I'm certain he's right. I'm also certain that I've never had a better burger.

Read Part 2 here.