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July 20, 2005
Vacation Stew
Reporting in from vacation... I hadn't planned on blogging this week, but Bush has been busy this week, and since I was moved to point out his transgressions, I figured I might as well update you on life on vacation.
1. Food. I've been eating pretty well this week, kicking back along the Delaware shore before heading over to DC for a weekend of debauchery with my old friends. The funny thing is that I've been coming to this area to kick back since my DC years a decade ago, long before my parents retired here... and before the area got developed up to the extent that it has. Well more than half of what is here now wasn't here when I did my first summer here back in 1995. And where there used to be pretty much just local dives and holes in the wall, now there's a whole slew of new restaurants that feel more New York or DC than beach town.
2. Music. I'm going to see the great Buddy Guy tonight at one of my favorite music clubs (primarily because it's on the beach). Could life get much better?
3. Baseball. My dad's a Dodger fan, and they were playing the Phillies this week, so a few of his friends and I made the trip to Philadelphia last night to see the Phillies-Dodgers game. I hadn't been to Citizens' Bank Park yet, but it's a great place to watch a game - and makes it into the top tier of baseball stadiums I've ever been to. (Here's my list of stadiums I've been to, in order of preference.)
1. Fenway Park, Boston: Was there any doubt?
2. PacBell Stadium, San Francisco: I refuse to bend to corporate sponsorship whims, it's still PacBell to me. But the view from the outfield walk is spectacular.
3. Camden Yards, Baltimore: The first of the new stadiums is still one of the best.
4. Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia: Really enjoyable place to see a game. And between the cheesesteaks and the Italian sausage, probably the best food at any ballpark I have been to.
5. Yankee Stadium, Bronx: Huge drop from four to five. Rundown neighborhood, hostile, obnoxious, arrogant and rude fans, and I hate the team that plays there more than I hate George W. Bush. But there's a lot of baseball history there.
6. Dolphins Stadium, Miami: It's a football stadium. It's hot and humid to the point of misery. And no one goes there. But I saw a slew of games there the year the Marlins won the World Series.
7. Shea Stadium, Flushing, Queens: Actually not a bad place to watch a game, once you get used to being in the takeoff and landing path of LaGuardia airport just beyond the outfield.
8. US Cellular Field, Chicago: A pit. Freaking upper deck is steeper than a Pyrenees stage of the Tour de France. I really hated this park, and it would have been dead last on my list if it weren't for...
9. The Metrodome, Minneapolis: Okay, I cut my teeth on this team and in this stadium. But my god, baseball is not meant to be played indoors, or on fake grass, or with a freaking trash bag in the outfield. This thing is an abomination, and is the reason I was so quickly able to jettison my allegiance to the Twins.
Comments
Hey-
Took some advice you gave months ago and watched the original "The Manchurian Candidate"
Definately twisted and considerably better than the re-make.
Anything else along those lines I should watch?
Posted by: Cuzin Jose at July 20, 2005 11:02 PM
A piece of advice... go to more stadiums. Shea???
Posted by: Dave at July 21, 2005 01:02 AM
Dave -
I said, "among the stadiums I have been to." Not saying Shea's a great park - but would you rank it over US Cellular or the Metrodome?
Joe -
If you liked the original Manchurian Candidate, I'd also recommend "The Third Man," a 1949 movie starring Orson Welles.
Posted by: Curmudgeon at July 21, 2005 11:44 AM
SAFCO is a nice field, I think my fav is still Lambeau. I havent been to very many though.
The Metrodome is finally in its twilight, Hennepin County has approved plans for a new outdoor stadium for 2009. It actually has promise of making it through state legislation as well. Yay!! There is nothing worse than an error made because a player has lost the ball staring at the roof.
Posted by: Cuzin Jose at July 21, 2005 11:46 PM
Chris- What about Wrigley, Arlington, even Busch just b/c of the nice people and proximity to BBQ and blues?
BA
Posted by: Bill at July 22, 2005 04:32 PM
Hi Bill... never been to any of those three yet. Would love to hit Wrigley & Busch especially - but I can't really think of any stadiums I wouldn't like to visit.
Posted by: Curmudgeon at July 22, 2005 04:36 PM
