The Getty Museum is very impressive. Beautiful structure, fabulous gardens, lots of art, and a great view of LA (sorry ... no pictures ... we left our camera in the car as we rushed to catch the tram from the parking garage up the hillside to the museum).
We did, however, get some pictures of the La Brea Tar Pits. It was better than I expected. The Tar Pits are kinda cool. However, the gardens and the park they've created around them were a pleasant surprise. The museum on the grounds does a great job describing the history of the area and the paleontology work that has been done and continues today. Here are a few pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Side Note ... we ate an Italian restaurant on Wilshire Blvd called Palomino last night. It was very good. We sat next to Jeff Bridges, the actor, who was having dinner with his Mom (Lloyd's wife). As the waiter said to us after they left, "I love this town!"
It was a beautiful night for the game. Gorgeous weather (70 degs) as opposed to the hot 90s for last week's Dodger game. As for Angels Stadium, it has the most beautiful grounds of the stadiums we've seen so far. There's a beautiful palm tree garden outside the stadium, the halo structure, two size 649.5" helmets in front of the home plate entry, and a waterfall in a large rock garden in center field. Unfortunately, the rest of the ball park is just ok. Nothing special. As for the game, Greg Smith, the Oakland A's pitcher, dominated. He threw just 100 pitches in a complete game, 6-1 victory. The A's scored early and kept adding to their lead. The game was never in doubt. By the way, Nancy has a new favorite ballplayer ... Kurt Suzuki of the A's. When we saw the A's in Oakland, Suzuki had a great game (4 hits and 5 RBIs including the game winner) despite being hurt while catching and when at bat. We were surrounded by Angels fans so she quietly routed for him throughout the game. Here's the link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_30_oakmlb_anamlb_1
Here's the picture link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Before we get to the hot dog rating, the concession operators were the slowest we've encountered. It took forever to get our hot dogs and a full inning to get our pretzel later in the game.
Hot Dogs: They had a special ... a 1/2 pound hot dog, straight from the grill for $7.50. Nancy had an Italian sausage. We both had peppers and onions. For me, it was quantity over quality. The first bite was great and it was downhill from there. The bun was too big and not terribly fresh. The mustard was standard fare. Nancy said the Italian sausage was ok. She gave it a "7.5". I gave my dog a "7" ("8" for the first bite down to a "6" by the last bite ... for an average of "7").
We now begin our trek back east. Phoenix and very hot weather again here we come!
Monday, June 30, 2008
San Diego 6-28-08
San Diego has quickly become a favorite city (San Francisco is the other). Balboa Park is a gorgeous park with 13 museums, 7 large garden areas, green areas for picnicking and lounging, small themed restaurants with outside dining, and a very large pipe organ. We didn't have time to do the museums, but we were able to walk around the entire park to savor the architecture and greenery. We were also treated to an organ concert. The organist was rehearsing for his Sunday concert and played to a very small group of us. We didn't go thru the Japanese Friendship Garden, but we did eat some very tasty Japanese food in the Japanese Tea pavilion (http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/cohn/cohnrestaurants/teapavilion.php). We'll definitely go back to go thru the museums.
Cabrillo National Monument commeroates the Cabrillo's exploration of the California coast. A National Park, with an historic lighthouse, has been created on the grounds (http://www.nps.gov/cabr). The very high point is at the confluence of the pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay and provides a beautiful panaromic view of numerous sailboats and Navy ships. The Lighthouse was a plus. It had an original lighthouse lens which I had never seen. Here's the link to our pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Both Balboa Park and the Cabrillo National Monument are worth a trip. On to Anaheim!
Cabrillo National Monument commeroates the Cabrillo's exploration of the California coast. A National Park, with an historic lighthouse, has been created on the grounds (http://www.nps.gov/cabr). The very high point is at the confluence of the pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay and provides a beautiful panaromic view of numerous sailboats and Navy ships. The Lighthouse was a plus. It had an original lighthouse lens which I had never seen. Here's the link to our pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Both Balboa Park and the Cabrillo National Monument are worth a trip. On to Anaheim!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Seattle Mariners vs.San Diego Padres 6-27-08
Petco Park is a great ball park. It's in the top 5 of those we've seen so far. It' located in downtown San Diego and is well woven into the downtown architecture. The park integrated a National Landmark building, Western Metal Supply Co., into the stadium. They've added stands and luxury boxes to the building for a very ' Wrigley Effect'. Petco had the most spacious promenades of all the stadiums, easy access to concessions and rest rooms, and great site lines for all of the seats.
Tonight, the Padres celebrated retro night, celebrating 1978. They encouraged 70s dress up, 70s music (lots of disco), and 70s dancing. They exploded a ton of streamers on to the stands at the start of the game. There's a good picture of it. Nancy spent the 1st two innings winding up 2 streamers to take home so we can claim our spot at the Riverfest fireworks. The game time temperature was in the 70s (to go with the retro night theme). However, temps dropped into the low 60s with a cool breeze. Half the crowd was underdressed and left early. Nancy took out here beloved Atros blanket and saved the day. I suppose we deserved the cool temps after the 110+ temps in Vegas, but I sure do prefer hot to cold.
The game wasn't one of the best we've seen. The mariners and the padres are two of the worst teams in baseball this year. The game should have been a blowout for the Mariners, but they left 18 men on base. For the mathematically challenged, that's 2 men per inning. However, the Mariners were still good enough to win 5 - 2 allowing a meaningless 2 run homer to Chase Headley late in the game. Here's a link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_27_seamlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=wrap
Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dogs: One of the best!! We got them at the kiosk behind home plate. Nancy rated her Italian sausage a 9.5. Great flavor, lots of veggies, soft bun, tasty (and spicy) mustard. I rated my Kosher hot dog a "9". Still very good. I suspect there was some grade inflation here (see previous post). We had lunch at noon and were starved. Hunger level clearly influences rating since I thought the stadium pizza I had as dessert was very good, too.
Pretzel Rating: I was a bit hungry in the 7th inning so I got a pretzel. It was worth it. Very hot, very soft and very tasty ... especially when dunked into the stadium mustard!!
Tonight, the Padres celebrated retro night, celebrating 1978. They encouraged 70s dress up, 70s music (lots of disco), and 70s dancing. They exploded a ton of streamers on to the stands at the start of the game. There's a good picture of it. Nancy spent the 1st two innings winding up 2 streamers to take home so we can claim our spot at the Riverfest fireworks. The game time temperature was in the 70s (to go with the retro night theme). However, temps dropped into the low 60s with a cool breeze. Half the crowd was underdressed and left early. Nancy took out here beloved Atros blanket and saved the day. I suppose we deserved the cool temps after the 110+ temps in Vegas, but I sure do prefer hot to cold.
The game wasn't one of the best we've seen. The mariners and the padres are two of the worst teams in baseball this year. The game should have been a blowout for the Mariners, but they left 18 men on base. For the mathematically challenged, that's 2 men per inning. However, the Mariners were still good enough to win 5 - 2 allowing a meaningless 2 run homer to Chase Headley late in the game. Here's a link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_27_seamlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=wrap
Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dogs: One of the best!! We got them at the kiosk behind home plate. Nancy rated her Italian sausage a 9.5. Great flavor, lots of veggies, soft bun, tasty (and spicy) mustard. I rated my Kosher hot dog a "9". Still very good. I suspect there was some grade inflation here (see previous post). We had lunch at noon and were starved. Hunger level clearly influences rating since I thought the stadium pizza I had as dessert was very good, too.
Pretzel Rating: I was a bit hungry in the 7th inning so I got a pretzel. It was worth it. Very hot, very soft and very tasty ... especially when dunked into the stadium mustard!!
San Diego 6-27-08
Prelude to Blog: We love San Diego. What's not to like ... 70deg, clear sky, ocean ... aahhh! As you read today's blog, take this assessment into account. I'm sure you'll sense grade inflation.
We decided to take advantage of the great day. We took a 2 hr boat excursion touring San Diego Bay. I'm sure you know that San Diego is home to a large Naval base. We saw several large Navy boats in dry dock and a few small ones practicing maneuvers. There were quite a few sail boats as well as the America's Cup boat, Stars and Stripes. It was well worth the trip, especially at the senior rate (55+) of $21.50/person (http://www.sdhe.com/). We had lunch on the bay at Anthony's Fish Grotto (http://www.gofishanthonys.com/grotto.html). We also drove across the the Coronado Bay Bridge to see the Hotel Del Coronado. For those P&Gers who have been to the Boca Raton Resort, you have a mental picture of what this hotel is like ... very ornate and very expensive. This hotel is most famous for being the backdrop for the movie "Some Like It Hot" with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon (http://www.hoteldel.com/).
Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Petco Park ... Here we come
We decided to take advantage of the great day. We took a 2 hr boat excursion touring San Diego Bay. I'm sure you know that San Diego is home to a large Naval base. We saw several large Navy boats in dry dock and a few small ones practicing maneuvers. There were quite a few sail boats as well as the America's Cup boat, Stars and Stripes. It was well worth the trip, especially at the senior rate (55+) of $21.50/person (http://www.sdhe.com/). We had lunch on the bay at Anthony's Fish Grotto (http://www.gofishanthonys.com/grotto.html). We also drove across the the Coronado Bay Bridge to see the Hotel Del Coronado. For those P&Gers who have been to the Boca Raton Resort, you have a mental picture of what this hotel is like ... very ornate and very expensive. This hotel is most famous for being the backdrop for the movie "Some Like It Hot" with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon (http://www.hoteldel.com/).
Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Petco Park ... Here we come
Thursday, June 26, 2008
San Diego 6-26-08
After 3 days and 2 nights in Las Vegas (with our kids' inheritance reduced by $400), it was on to San Diego. Today, we went to the Torrey Pines State Preserve with a side trip to the Torrey Pines Golf Course. The Preserve has some relatively easy hiking trails (although one was a bit difficult), beautiful views of the Pacific, a wide variety of trees and plants, interesting gorges and great colors. Here's the link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
We did a quick tour of Torrey Pines Golf Course, the site of the 2008 US Open. It's obviously a beautiful course. However, the corporate tents and the stands from the Open were still up. There were workers all over the course scrambling to take everything down while dodging errant golf shots.
We also walked around Old Town. While there were some interesting small buildings and museums, it was a bit too commercialized for me. That said, we had a great Mexican dinner and 2-for-1 root beer floats.
Hmmm ... I wonder what we'll do tomorrow. Oh yeah .. the Padres game.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
We did a quick tour of Torrey Pines Golf Course, the site of the 2008 US Open. It's obviously a beautiful course. However, the corporate tents and the stands from the Open were still up. There were workers all over the course scrambling to take everything down while dodging errant golf shots.
We also walked around Old Town. While there were some interesting small buildings and museums, it was a bit too commercialized for me. That said, we had a great Mexican dinner and 2-for-1 root beer floats.
Hmmm ... I wonder what we'll do tomorrow. Oh yeah .. the Padres game.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Cleveland Indians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 6-22-08
It was hotter than the blazes at Dodger Stadium today. 90+ degrees. Nancy and I walked from our hotel to the game and broke into a good sweat. We bought tickets from StubHub and it worked out very well. The announced attendance was ~40,000 people. I'll bet only 15,000 showed up because of the heat. Virtually everyone moved out of the sun and into the shade ... which is primarily behind 3rd base for future reference. We met Mike Ross (a friend of mine from High School), his wife Janet, and one of his 3 sons (Jordan) at the game. It was great catching up while the game was going on.
The game was interesting. The Dodgers won 4-3. The Dodgers' first batter in the first inning singled; the second, doubled; as did the third batter. The 4th batter homered and that was all their scoring. The Indians scored all of their runs in the third inning. There were several good plays and an Indian runner thrown out at home. All-in-all, very enjoyable. Here's a link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_22_clemlb_lanmlb_1&mode=wrap
Dodger Stadium is nearly 50 years old. However, it was a very nice stadium. They have good viewing lines, easy access to the stadium, decent seats, and lots of food choices. It isn't quite as good as the newer stadiums, but if we were to grade on an age curve, it would rank very high. Here's the link to the pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dog Time: I had a Dodger Dog with sauerkraut (extra charge, served in a separate cup and cold). It was good, but I have to downgrade it because of the sauerkraut. I'll give it a "7". Nancy didn't have a hot dog. She said it was too hot to eat. She did, however, have 2 beers. One was a Gordon Biersch Hefeweisen which she liked ... what's not to like, it was hot out and the beer was cool, but not cold. Good, but not quite as good as the Pyramid Hefeweisen in Seattle and clearly not a Leinenkugel. The 7th inning Miller Lite tasted good since it also met the "I need a drink" criteria.
Tomorrow: VEGAS! Gambling in the heat.
The game was interesting. The Dodgers won 4-3. The Dodgers' first batter in the first inning singled; the second, doubled; as did the third batter. The 4th batter homered and that was all their scoring. The Indians scored all of their runs in the third inning. There were several good plays and an Indian runner thrown out at home. All-in-all, very enjoyable. Here's a link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_22_clemlb_lanmlb_1&mode=wrap
Dodger Stadium is nearly 50 years old. However, it was a very nice stadium. They have good viewing lines, easy access to the stadium, decent seats, and lots of food choices. It isn't quite as good as the newer stadiums, but if we were to grade on an age curve, it would rank very high. Here's the link to the pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dog Time: I had a Dodger Dog with sauerkraut (extra charge, served in a separate cup and cold). It was good, but I have to downgrade it because of the sauerkraut. I'll give it a "7". Nancy didn't have a hot dog. She said it was too hot to eat. She did, however, have 2 beers. One was a Gordon Biersch Hefeweisen which she liked ... what's not to like, it was hot out and the beer was cool, but not cold. Good, but not quite as good as the Pyramid Hefeweisen in Seattle and clearly not a Leinenkugel. The 7th inning Miller Lite tasted good since it also met the "I need a drink" criteria.
Tomorrow: VEGAS! Gambling in the heat.
17 Mile Drive 6-21-08
We drove from Oakland to LA today. Max temp 109deg. We stopped in Monterrey to see the coast on the 17 Mile Drive. Very beautiful (see our pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/).
We also drove on the James Dean Memorial Highway (where he crashed and died). Nancy went to one of the many James Dean websites and oohed and aahed the Porsche he drove.
Indians vs Dodgers tomorrow. It's gonna be hot!
We also drove on the James Dean Memorial Highway (where he crashed and died). Nancy went to one of the many James Dean websites and oohed and aahed the Porsche he drove.
Indians vs Dodgers tomorrow. It's gonna be hot!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
McAfee Coliseum 6-20-08
Temperatures in Oakland reached record highs today (100s inland). Once the sun went down, it was a beautiful night. We had great seats right behind home. Jeff and Ted (our good friends and hosts in Oakland) joined us at the game. The Oakland (McAfee) Coliseum is an older stadium, built in the 60's. It was clearly built for football ... way too much room in foul territory. The upper deck seats, which are filled for football, are not open for baseball season and decoratively tarped over. They had numerous food choices, but the promenade was very narrow. It didn't matter since there were only 15,000 in attendance.
The game was quite good. Lots of action. The A's beat the Florida Marlins 7-6 in 11 innings. For the Marlins, Dan Uggla hit 2 homeruns, one in the top of the ninth to tie the game. The clear star of the game was Oakland catcher Kurt Suzuki. He had 4 hits, and drove in 5 runs including the game winner in the 11th. He probably should have come out of the game earlier. He fouled a foul ball off his foot while at bat and, while catching, took a foul ball off his knee. A real trooper. Here's the link to the boxscore:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_20_flomlb_oakmlb_1&mode=wrap
Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
We have a "best" rating ... Oakland has the best hot dog buns of any we've tasted. Nancy had their Italian Sausage ... very flavorful, but a bit skimpy on the veggies. I had a standard dog from the regular vendor site. It was good, but sauerkraut was not available as an option. Nancy's rating: "8". I gave mine a "7".
Nancy had a Sierra Nevada Summerfest Light. It was very good and very cold, but no Leinenkugel (does this seem to be a theme?). Ted rated the basic Margarita a "7", but gave the bar-made Margarita a "9".
We had a great time with Jeff and Ted. We've now reached the halfway point in the stadium tour. 15 stadiums down and 15 to go. On to Los Angeles.
The game was quite good. Lots of action. The A's beat the Florida Marlins 7-6 in 11 innings. For the Marlins, Dan Uggla hit 2 homeruns, one in the top of the ninth to tie the game. The clear star of the game was Oakland catcher Kurt Suzuki. He had 4 hits, and drove in 5 runs including the game winner in the 11th. He probably should have come out of the game earlier. He fouled a foul ball off his foot while at bat and, while catching, took a foul ball off his knee. A real trooper. Here's the link to the boxscore:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_20_flomlb_oakmlb_1&mode=wrap
Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
We have a "best" rating ... Oakland has the best hot dog buns of any we've tasted. Nancy had their Italian Sausage ... very flavorful, but a bit skimpy on the veggies. I had a standard dog from the regular vendor site. It was good, but sauerkraut was not available as an option. Nancy's rating: "8". I gave mine a "7".
Nancy had a Sierra Nevada Summerfest Light. It was very good and very cold, but no Leinenkugel (does this seem to be a theme?). Ted rated the basic Margarita a "7", but gave the bar-made Margarita a "9".
We had a great time with Jeff and Ted. We've now reached the halfway point in the stadium tour. 15 stadiums down and 15 to go. On to Los Angeles.
Friday, June 20, 2008
San Francisco Tour 6-19-08
Jeff took us on a tour of San Francisco today. It was a beautiful day. Great weather, great views. We drove to Muir Woods walked around the Redwood Trees. We drove to the Twin Peaks viewing site which offers spectacular panoramic views of the city and the bay. While Jeff and Ted went to a concert last night, Nancy and I met Gene Park and Julie ... who's far too good for Gene :-) ... for dinner. We had a wonderful evening even though we had to switch restaurants. The restaurant where we were supposed to eat had a water line break and was flooded. We ended up eating at a Turkish themed restaurant called "Sens". Very nice. We spent 3 hours eating and talking. It was a great evening. Here's the link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
San Francisco 6-18-08
Our drive from Portland, Oregon to Corning, California was relatively uneventful except for the discovery of the Willamette Valley Wine Country. We only went to one winery, Erath, although there were at least 50 wineries in very close proximity. Erath Wines were very good, so Nancy tells me. Check it out (http://www.erath.com/).
We met Jeff McPherson at Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T Park to see the Detroit Tigers against the San Francisco Giants. It wasn't a very good game. Barry Zito pitched for the Giants and gave up 5 runs in the first two innings on walks and line drive hits. The Giant fans (and Giant Management), are not happy he signed a 7 year, $126MM contact. The Tigers won the game 7-2. Here's a link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_18_detmlb_sfnmlb_1&mode=wrap
AT&T Park is a great baseball venue. The stadium is beautifully done in brick and does not look like a stadium from the outside. Willie Mays plays a prominent role in the walkway up to AT&T. You cross the street named Willie Mays Plaza. There's a large Willie Mays statue on the promenade leading up to the entrance and there are 24 palm trees (24 was his number) on the promenade. Inside, the walkways are wide and there are numerous concession stands. We sat in the upper deck and had an unbelievable view of the bay. I thought it was the 2nd best stadium behind Miller Park in Milwaukee. Nancy like AT&T better probably because it was the nicest day we've had ... 75deg, sunny with a brilliant blue sky. Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dog Rating Time: I had the standard hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard. It was a very tasty dog. One of the better ones I've had. However, one point off for a hard bun ... an "8". Nancy searched for the kiosk hot dog and found a good one on the first floor promenade behind home plate. She thought this was one of the best ones she's had. She thought it was as good as the one at US Cellular (Chicago White Sox). She's a tougher rater than I am. She gave it a "9".
After the game, we did a mini-tour of San Francisco and met Ted for dinner. We ate at an Italian place, Cafe Tiramisu (http://www.cafetiramisu.com/) in their outdoor (in the alley) dining area. A bit pricey, but very good.
We met Jeff McPherson at Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T Park to see the Detroit Tigers against the San Francisco Giants. It wasn't a very good game. Barry Zito pitched for the Giants and gave up 5 runs in the first two innings on walks and line drive hits. The Giant fans (and Giant Management), are not happy he signed a 7 year, $126MM contact. The Tigers won the game 7-2. Here's a link to the box score:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_18_detmlb_sfnmlb_1&mode=wrap
AT&T Park is a great baseball venue. The stadium is beautifully done in brick and does not look like a stadium from the outside. Willie Mays plays a prominent role in the walkway up to AT&T. You cross the street named Willie Mays Plaza. There's a large Willie Mays statue on the promenade leading up to the entrance and there are 24 palm trees (24 was his number) on the promenade. Inside, the walkways are wide and there are numerous concession stands. We sat in the upper deck and had an unbelievable view of the bay. I thought it was the 2nd best stadium behind Miller Park in Milwaukee. Nancy like AT&T better probably because it was the nicest day we've had ... 75deg, sunny with a brilliant blue sky. Here's a link to our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dog Rating Time: I had the standard hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard. It was a very tasty dog. One of the better ones I've had. However, one point off for a hard bun ... an "8". Nancy searched for the kiosk hot dog and found a good one on the first floor promenade behind home plate. She thought this was one of the best ones she's had. She thought it was as good as the one at US Cellular (Chicago White Sox). She's a tougher rater than I am. She gave it a "9".
After the game, we did a mini-tour of San Francisco and met Ted for dinner. We ate at an Italian place, Cafe Tiramisu (http://www.cafetiramisu.com/) in their outdoor (in the alley) dining area. A bit pricey, but very good.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Seattle 6-16-08
We spent the night with Nancy’s cousin Marv and his wife, Joyce. They have a nice little place in Maple Valley, Washington. Today (Monday 6/16), they took us on a tour of downtown Seattle. When in Seattle, you have to go up the Space Needle. Easy elevator ride up and great views of the city, the lakes and Puget Sound. We also went to the public market by the riverfront. It’s quite a place and worth a trip. Fresh fruit, fresh fish, fresh veggies, arts and crafts, flowers … almost anything you could want to buy is there. The highlight: the flying fish at the Pike Place Fish market (http://www.pikeplacefish.com/). People place their order for fresh fish and the attendants throw the fish to the packers for wrapping and packing. It’s quite a sight to see fish flying all over the market.
Here are pictures of our trip thru Washington and touring Seattle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
On to Oakland.
Here are pictures of our trip thru Washington and touring Seattle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
On to Oakland.
Washington Nationals @ Seattle Mariners 6-15-08
Happy Father’s Day! We got up early, left Spokane and drove to Seattle for an afternoon game. Safeco Field is a great ballpark. It’s very similar in design to Houston’s Minute Maid Park. Rollers on a railroad track can close the roof in minutes. It was a gorgeous day. The sun was shining and the roof was open. Apparently it’s a rare occasion when it’s 70deg and sunny in Seattle. The stadium was crowded which was surprising given Seattle’s poor record.
As for the game, the Nationals beat the Mariners 6–2. It was a close game until the Nationals went ahead on a controversial 3-run homer by Kory Castro. He hit a high fly ball down the right field line. The ump immediately called it fair while the right fielder thought it was foul. After a brief umpire consultation and an even shorter argument, the home run stood. I tried to find a link to see for myself, but I suppose MLB.com doesn’t provide good highlights for last place teams. One of the things I noticed was Seattle fans are the antithesis of the Cubs fans. Seattle fans are laid back and, for the most part, very quiet. However, when the next batter came up after the home run and hit a foul pop behind the first base dugout, everyone (yes, literally everyone) got up and began signaling “Fair Ball!” I thought it was quite humorous. Here’s a link to the box score: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_15_wasmlb_seamlb_1&mode=wrap
Here’s a link to the pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dog rating: Very good footlong dog. As we’ve found at other ballparks, you have to find the kiosk with the grill to get the grilled dog with all the veggies. In Safeco, we found it by the seats between 3rd base and the left field foul pole. It was probably the most flavorful hotdog we’ve had. Good sauerkraut and onions and a soft bun. My only complaint – they made you by the ‘meal’ with 2 bags of chips. Total cost: $9. They could have been rated a “10”, but $9 is awfully pricey … Net rating = “8”
Nancy tried the local beer, Pyramid Hefeweizen, a wheat beer. She liked it a lot. However, she said it was not quite as good as the Leinenkugel wheat beer. Still, it’s worth a try if you’re in Seattle
http://www.pyramidbrew.com/beer/beerguide/hefeweizen.php
As for the game, the Nationals beat the Mariners 6–2. It was a close game until the Nationals went ahead on a controversial 3-run homer by Kory Castro. He hit a high fly ball down the right field line. The ump immediately called it fair while the right fielder thought it was foul. After a brief umpire consultation and an even shorter argument, the home run stood. I tried to find a link to see for myself, but I suppose MLB.com doesn’t provide good highlights for last place teams. One of the things I noticed was Seattle fans are the antithesis of the Cubs fans. Seattle fans are laid back and, for the most part, very quiet. However, when the next batter came up after the home run and hit a foul pop behind the first base dugout, everyone (yes, literally everyone) got up and began signaling “Fair Ball!” I thought it was quite humorous. Here’s a link to the box score: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_06_15_wasmlb_seamlb_1&mode=wrap
Here’s a link to the pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Hot Dog rating: Very good footlong dog. As we’ve found at other ballparks, you have to find the kiosk with the grill to get the grilled dog with all the veggies. In Safeco, we found it by the seats between 3rd base and the left field foul pole. It was probably the most flavorful hotdog we’ve had. Good sauerkraut and onions and a soft bun. My only complaint – they made you by the ‘meal’ with 2 bags of chips. Total cost: $9. They could have been rated a “10”, but $9 is awfully pricey … Net rating = “8”
Nancy tried the local beer, Pyramid Hefeweizen, a wheat beer. She liked it a lot. However, she said it was not quite as good as the Leinenkugel wheat beer. Still, it’s worth a try if you’re in Seattle
http://www.pyramidbrew.com/beer/beerguide/hefeweizen.php
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Spokane 6-14-08
We drove from Gardiner, Montana to Spokane, Washington today and saw some spectacular mountain passes thru Idaho. Not sure I could have made it in a Conestoga wagon, but it was pretty easy in a car. In Spokane, we ate at a restaurant called Moxie (www.moxiemoxie.com). It's a small place, maybe 20 tables, in downtown Spokane. Very eclectic and very good. If you're ever here, it's worth it. On to Seattle. Go Mariners.
Yellowstone Day Two 6-13-08
We spent all of today touring Yellowstone. The day is best described as Geysers and Waterfalls. As you'd expect, it was all very beautiful. Old Faithful was as advertised ... spectacular. However, I was much more impressed with the waterfalls. They were running fast with all the recent rains and snow melt. Whenever you'd think you had seen the most impressive falls, you'd come to another that was even better. The Upper and Lower Falls at Yellowstone's Grand Canyon were the best. The day ended with a bison walking on the highway preventing traffic from passing in either direction. When he finally went to the side and we were able to drive around him, his look was priceless. I wish I got a picture. You'll have a tough time getting thru all our pictures. Way too many, but there were so many pretty scenes to capture. Here's the link to all our pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
On to Spokane then Seattle for the Mariners game at Safeco Field.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
On to Spokane then Seattle for the Mariners game at Safeco Field.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Yellowstone Day One 6-12-08
We stayed in Billings, Montana last night, a stopover on our way to Yellowstone. We awoke to very low expectations. The weather for Yellowstone called for 12 inches of snow and high winds. As we drove towards Gardiner, Montana (a small town right at the north entrance to Yellowstone), our worst fears were realized. The drive was not easy with heavy rain and the car buffeted by 50mph winds. We made plans to sit by the pool and relax.
A side note: Montana is littered with hundreds, maybe thousands, of small 25-100 slot machines casinos. They are everywhere … shopping centers, gas stations, we even saw one attached to a Chinese restaurant. And, yes, there were cars parked in front of all of them with people playing at all the ones I looked into. The tackiest one … The Little Big Horn Casino. The Indians and Custer must not be very happy.
We made it to Gardiner and, surprisingly, it was sunny and 50deg. We decided to begin our tour of Yellowstone. For those of you who haven’t been here it’s everything you imagined … beautiful vistas, snow-capped mountains, wildlife right next to your car, loud waterfalls that were especially spectacular with the recent heavy rains. Mammoth Hot Springs was particularly incredible ... steam rising from the ground, vivid colors.
We made it back to Gardiner in time for a late dinner. We ate at a place called Outlaws … good pizza and pasta. Based on one day, if you decide to visit Yellowstone, Gardiner is a good option.
Once again, way too many pictures. Here they are: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
A side note: Montana is littered with hundreds, maybe thousands, of small 25-100 slot machines casinos. They are everywhere … shopping centers, gas stations, we even saw one attached to a Chinese restaurant. And, yes, there were cars parked in front of all of them with people playing at all the ones I looked into. The tackiest one … The Little Big Horn Casino. The Indians and Custer must not be very happy.
We made it to Gardiner and, surprisingly, it was sunny and 50deg. We decided to begin our tour of Yellowstone. For those of you who haven’t been here it’s everything you imagined … beautiful vistas, snow-capped mountains, wildlife right next to your car, loud waterfalls that were especially spectacular with the recent heavy rains. Mammoth Hot Springs was particularly incredible ... steam rising from the ground, vivid colors.
We made it back to Gardiner in time for a late dinner. We ate at a place called Outlaws … good pizza and pasta. Based on one day, if you decide to visit Yellowstone, Gardiner is a good option.
Once again, way too many pictures. Here they are: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Mt. Rushmore 6-11-08
We toured Mt. Rushmore today. I described the Badlands as absolutely beautiful. Mt. Rushmore was VERY impressive. I expected to walk in, take a picture, look around for a few minutes and take off. We spent 4 hours walking the trails and learning the history of the sculpture. It was fascinating. Here's the link to the Mt. Rushmore website: http://www.nps.gov/moru
Here's a link to our pictures. Once again, too many to look at. That's what happens when you have a digital camera. It's too easy to take lots of pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
We're currently in Billings, Montana. It's a stopover on our way to Yellowstone ... maybe. Our waitress at dinner told us they had 6" of snow yesterday and were expecting 12" more tomorrow. She heard that all but the North entrance were closed. If we can get in, great. If not, we'll be relaxing by the indoor pool. See you then.
Here's a link to our pictures. Once again, too many to look at. That's what happens when you have a digital camera. It's too easy to take lots of pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
We're currently in Billings, Montana. It's a stopover on our way to Yellowstone ... maybe. Our waitress at dinner told us they had 6" of snow yesterday and were expecting 12" more tomorrow. She heard that all but the North entrance were closed. If we can get in, great. If not, we'll be relaxing by the indoor pool. See you then.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Badlands 6-10-08
The Badlands National Park is absolutely beautiful. It amazes me how any one crossed this area to go to the West Coast. It took us about 5 hours to tour the Park and hike some of the trails. Here's the link to the Badlands website: http://www.nps.gov/badl
Here are our pictures. There are lots of them
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Here are our pictures. There are lots of them
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/
Monday, June 9, 2008
The West Coast Trip Begins (June 8th and 9th)
Monday June 8th -- Travel to Dyersville, Iowa
We left Cincinnati yesterday and drove 8 hours to Dyersville, Iowa, the city where the Field of Dreams movie was filmed. It was a very pleasant drive, although we did see some of the damage caused by the most recent heavy rains. We got into Dyersville at 4pm local time, so we had time to decompress before dinner. Nancy went out for a run. I napped.
After a while, we got ready for dinner. As we travel the country, we’ve tried to eat at good, local restaurants. The hotel recommended we go to the Country Junction (http://www.countryjunction.com/). It’s a nice little local restaurant where they make everything from scratch … great chicken rice soup and country rolls. The big excitement of the dinner was the sounding of the tornado warning sirens. The waitresses asked everyone to go to their basement shelter which was actually a nice banquet room. I brought my plate downstairs and finished eating while we waited out a very severe thunderstorm (but no tornados). After dinner, Nancy asked me to drive around town where she had run to show me the flooding from all the rain they’ve had. It was amazing. There were lakes where there should have been fields. One local park was completely under water. For those of you willing to invest in commodities, I strongly recommend investing in corn. Even though the price is high due to corn’s use in ethanol, it will go higher. The Iowa farmers have not been able to plant their fields due to the flooding. And, more rain is expected this week. BUY CORN FUTURES!!
Tuesday June 9th -- Field of Dreams
The Field of Dreams farm is located about 3 miles out of town. We drove there this morning. With all the rain, it should be called Field of Streams. It had standing water around home plate and by the stands. When standing on the field, it sounds just like the movie with birds chirping and a breeze rustling thru the field. The farmhouse is beautiful, freshly painted with the swing is still on the porch. The only downside … it’s too early for corn. There’s nothing for James Earl Jones to disappear into. We walked on the field, took a few pictures, and had a catch. A few things that struck me as I walked on the field:
-- the farm house is much closer to the field than it appears in the movie,
-- the stands are not nearly as high as they seem (the girl only fell about 5 feet),
-- there’s no mound (it’s flat like in Little League), and
-- the baselines are too close to the infield grass (I should be a baseball field designer), and
-- they have a very nice souvenir stand on site.
Interesting footnotes:
-- there’s no charge for going onto the field
-- the owners, the Lansing family, still live in the farmhouse (Nancy talked to Bob Lansing),
-- the family pays Universal Studios a licensing fee to use the “Field of Dreams” name
-- the family pays for the upkeep of the field by selling souvenirs. Here’s the web address if you’d like to see the field and buy some souvenirs
(http://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/distance.html)
Here’s a link to the pictures we took (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/).
We're now in Wall, SD to visit the Badlands national park tomorrow. While we're here, we had to visit the tackiest tourist trap ever ... Wall Drug. There are at least 1000 billboards advertising the place and all they do is sell souvenirs (http://www.walldrug.com/). Onto the Badlands.
We left Cincinnati yesterday and drove 8 hours to Dyersville, Iowa, the city where the Field of Dreams movie was filmed. It was a very pleasant drive, although we did see some of the damage caused by the most recent heavy rains. We got into Dyersville at 4pm local time, so we had time to decompress before dinner. Nancy went out for a run. I napped.
After a while, we got ready for dinner. As we travel the country, we’ve tried to eat at good, local restaurants. The hotel recommended we go to the Country Junction (http://www.countryjunction.com/). It’s a nice little local restaurant where they make everything from scratch … great chicken rice soup and country rolls. The big excitement of the dinner was the sounding of the tornado warning sirens. The waitresses asked everyone to go to their basement shelter which was actually a nice banquet room. I brought my plate downstairs and finished eating while we waited out a very severe thunderstorm (but no tornados). After dinner, Nancy asked me to drive around town where she had run to show me the flooding from all the rain they’ve had. It was amazing. There were lakes where there should have been fields. One local park was completely under water. For those of you willing to invest in commodities, I strongly recommend investing in corn. Even though the price is high due to corn’s use in ethanol, it will go higher. The Iowa farmers have not been able to plant their fields due to the flooding. And, more rain is expected this week. BUY CORN FUTURES!!
Tuesday June 9th -- Field of Dreams
The Field of Dreams farm is located about 3 miles out of town. We drove there this morning. With all the rain, it should be called Field of Streams. It had standing water around home plate and by the stands. When standing on the field, it sounds just like the movie with birds chirping and a breeze rustling thru the field. The farmhouse is beautiful, freshly painted with the swing is still on the porch. The only downside … it’s too early for corn. There’s nothing for James Earl Jones to disappear into. We walked on the field, took a few pictures, and had a catch. A few things that struck me as I walked on the field:
-- the farm house is much closer to the field than it appears in the movie,
-- the stands are not nearly as high as they seem (the girl only fell about 5 feet),
-- there’s no mound (it’s flat like in Little League), and
-- the baselines are too close to the infield grass (I should be a baseball field designer), and
-- they have a very nice souvenir stand on site.
Interesting footnotes:
-- there’s no charge for going onto the field
-- the owners, the Lansing family, still live in the farmhouse (Nancy talked to Bob Lansing),
-- the family pays Universal Studios a licensing fee to use the “Field of Dreams” name
-- the family pays for the upkeep of the field by selling souvenirs. Here’s the web address if you’d like to see the field and buy some souvenirs
(http://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/distance.html)
Here’s a link to the pictures we took (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14772189@N03/sets/).
We're now in Wall, SD to visit the Badlands national park tomorrow. While we're here, we had to visit the tackiest tourist trap ever ... Wall Drug. There are at least 1000 billboards advertising the place and all they do is sell souvenirs (http://www.walldrug.com/). Onto the Badlands.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
