Throughout this week we had the pleasure of spending some quality time with Tina's family in Wisconsin. We had some great meals in Milwaukee, including Butter Burgers for lunch at Solly's, pizza from Ricardo's (Tina's childhood favorite), and a great Italian dinner at Casa Di Giorgio. We also had lunch with Tina's cousin, Rick, who was visiting from California and her Uncle David.
We were also fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend 3 days with Tina's brother, Tom, and his family in Cambridge, Wisconsin. Tom and his wife, Sandy, were wonderful hosts and we had lots of laughs together. Tina's mother, Elke, was also staying at Tom's home for the week. Tina was able to enjoy a second visit with her mom during our summer adventure.
It is always hard to leave Wisconsin! We are both very appreciative for the love and hospitality that was shown to us during our stay. As always, we are anxious to return for another visit in the very near future. We love you all!!
P.S. Get well soon Auntie Marilyn. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Milwaukee, WI - Miller Park
On Tuesday we drove the back roads to Miller Park and arrived at about 5:15pm for the 7pm game. We happened to be one of the first ten cars in that particular parking lot and were awarded a Bob Uecker 'First Row' parking spot for $1.
We walked across the pedestrian bridge and arrived at the gates just as they opened. We went to the Brewer's store and Tina found a nice Brewer hoodie. We walked around the lower level concourse checking out dining options. Kevin had decided to do the Sausage Tour - one of each of the sausages featured in the Racing Sausages. (See the Grand Salami page for further details)
We had great seats in the front row of the second level right over first base. The roof was open when we first arrived at the stadium, but they closed the roof right before game time due to rain. Miller Park is a great stadium and works perfectly for the people of Wisconsin. It was a very exciting game as the Cardinals scored two un-earned runs to beat the Brewers 2-1. After the game we worked our way back to the parking lot and slowly worked our way out of the stadium.
We walked across the pedestrian bridge and arrived at the gates just as they opened. We went to the Brewer's store and Tina found a nice Brewer hoodie. We walked around the lower level concourse checking out dining options. Kevin had decided to do the Sausage Tour - one of each of the sausages featured in the Racing Sausages. (See the Grand Salami page for further details)
We had great seats in the front row of the second level right over first base. The roof was open when we first arrived at the stadium, but they closed the roof right before game time due to rain. Miller Park is a great stadium and works perfectly for the people of Wisconsin. It was a very exciting game as the Cardinals scored two un-earned runs to beat the Brewers 2-1. After the game we worked our way back to the parking lot and slowly worked our way out of the stadium.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Minneapolis, MN - Target Field
On Thursday we drove from Milwaukee to Minneapolis, MN. It was a moderately long drive of about 350 miles. We arrived in Minneapolis just around the start of rush hour and there was quite a bit of construction throughout the area making the drive seem a bit longer. After we checked into our hotel, we had a sensible dinner (for once) at Panera Bread that was just across the street from where we were staying.
On Friday we went to get haircuts in the morning and then had a nice lunch at the Granite City Food and Brewery. We decided to spend the afternoon before the game taking a cruise on the Mississippi River. We took the Minnesota Queen River Boat Tour which was about an hour and a half sternwheeler cruise that went through the Victorian Fall Locks and provided some very nice views of the Minneapolis skyline.
After the boat ride we worked our way downtown and parked near the stadium. We walked around downtown and stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe and bought a pin for Tina's collection. We then stopped at a nearby restaurant for a quick beverage before the game. We then walked a couple blocks to the stadium. We entered the stadium directly from the street. From downtown you don't really see the stadium until your basically at the gates. This is definitely one of the nicer stadiums. The concourses and stands are well conceived. All of the seats seem to provide a great view of the game and like most of the new stadiums you can still get a good view of the field from the concourses. The downtown skyline view from the stadium is spectacular. This is just a fantastic place to watch a game and, even though the Twins lost to the Detroit Tigers, we still very much enjoyed our time at Target Field.
On Friday we went to get haircuts in the morning and then had a nice lunch at the Granite City Food and Brewery. We decided to spend the afternoon before the game taking a cruise on the Mississippi River. We took the Minnesota Queen River Boat Tour which was about an hour and a half sternwheeler cruise that went through the Victorian Fall Locks and provided some very nice views of the Minneapolis skyline.
After the boat ride we worked our way downtown and parked near the stadium. We walked around downtown and stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe and bought a pin for Tina's collection. We then stopped at a nearby restaurant for a quick beverage before the game. We then walked a couple blocks to the stadium. We entered the stadium directly from the street. From downtown you don't really see the stadium until your basically at the gates. This is definitely one of the nicer stadiums. The concourses and stands are well conceived. All of the seats seem to provide a great view of the game and like most of the new stadiums you can still get a good view of the field from the concourses. The downtown skyline view from the stadium is spectacular. This is just a fantastic place to watch a game and, even though the Twins lost to the Detroit Tigers, we still very much enjoyed our time at Target Field.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Chicago, IL - Wrigley Field
On Monday afternoon we had lunch at Miller's Ale House in Lombard, IL near our hotel and then headed to North Chicago. We arrived near Wrigley Field at about 3:00pm for the 7 o'clock game and the area was already hopping with Cubs fans of all ages. We parked at the McDonalds directly across the street from Wrigley Field for $25 and then walked around Wrigleyville looking for someplace interesting to have something to eat and drink before the game. We had a of couple drinks and a nacho appetizer at Redmond's which is actually a Wisconsin Badger bar.
We walked back to Wrigley Field at about 5:30pm. Wrigley Field is definitely a step back in time. There was a Dixie Land Band playing outside and lots of kids and families along with the usual crowd of rowdy Cubs fans. There are no fancy Jumbo-Trons and no fan interaction during the game. Dick Vitale of college basketball fame was in the crowd and walked right down our aisle and was taking pictures with fans between innings. The Braves beat the Cubs 3-0 as the Cubs left something like 15 men on base without scoring. Darwin Barney, our dentist's son from Beaverton, was awarded the Cubs player of the game after making two great defensive plays at shortstop. After the game we worked our way back to our hotel and then prepared to head to Tina's hometown of Milwaukee.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Chi- Town (Chicago, Illinois) - US Cellular Field
On Saturday, we made the 8-hour drive from Pittsburgh to Chicago. Upon arrival, we went to Portillio's for their famous Italian Beef sandwiches. We were not disappointed. There are so many wonderful restaurants in the Chicago-land area, it will be difficult to choose which ones to visit during the next couple of days. Oh well, we could have worse problems to solve.
On Sunday morning, August 21st, we started our day off with a wonderful breakfast at Eggstasy, a local eatery known for their spectacular menu. We both enjoyed a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Kevin was feeling adventurous and decided to try the "Chocolate-Covered Bacon". This was served cold with whipped creme on the side. He enjoyed this treat and then also had an omelet and pancakes. Tina enjoyed a spinach and mushroom crepe with Brie cheese. We spent $50.00 for breakfast, but felt it was well worth the experience. We will definitely go back during future travels.
After breakfast, we drove to the south side of Chicago to find a place to park for the 1:05 PM Chicago White Sox game. We found a cute little dive called, First Base on 32nd and Normal and decided to have a cool one before the game. We were greeted by "Carrie", who made us feel most welcomed. She offered to give us a free parking pass and saved us $20.00. The ballpark was only a couple of blocks from this establishment. We chatted for a while and shared our baseball adventure with her before making our way to the game.
It was perfect weather for a Sunday afternoon baseball game. Game time temperature was 74 degrees and it was mostly sunny. We made our way to our club level seats, stopping to admire some of the specialty food items available. Our seats were in the shade, but since the stadium was about half full, we walked to another section and enjoyed the game in the afternoon sun. The White Sox were playing the Texas Rangers. The Sox scored early and often and ended up winning the game 10-0. Paul Konerko had two hits early in the game to get to 1,999 career hits with the White Sox. He came up three more times with a chance for number 2000, but failed to get that milestone hit. US Cellular Field is still in great shape, but somewhat generic compared to most of the modern stadiums, but it still is a great place to watch a game.
After the game ended, we walked back to "First Base" to have another cool one while the game time traffic subsided. We were greeted once again by "Carrie" and now also by "Devon", an off duty Bartender at the same establishment. We quickly struck up a friendship and enjoyed two hours of laughter before deciding to leave. If you are ever in Chicago, please patronize the "First Base." You won't be sorry. We made two new friends today and will look forward to seeing both of them again in the future.
We were both incredibly hungry (imagine that!) and decided to try "Gino's East" for deep dish pizza for dinner. Another winner! We turned in early after reminiscing about the great day that we once again enjoyed.
On Sunday morning, August 21st, we started our day off with a wonderful breakfast at Eggstasy, a local eatery known for their spectacular menu. We both enjoyed a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Kevin was feeling adventurous and decided to try the "Chocolate-Covered Bacon". This was served cold with whipped creme on the side. He enjoyed this treat and then also had an omelet and pancakes. Tina enjoyed a spinach and mushroom crepe with Brie cheese. We spent $50.00 for breakfast, but felt it was well worth the experience. We will definitely go back during future travels.
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| Chocolate Covered Bacon - For Breakfast? |
It was perfect weather for a Sunday afternoon baseball game. Game time temperature was 74 degrees and it was mostly sunny. We made our way to our club level seats, stopping to admire some of the specialty food items available. Our seats were in the shade, but since the stadium was about half full, we walked to another section and enjoyed the game in the afternoon sun. The White Sox were playing the Texas Rangers. The Sox scored early and often and ended up winning the game 10-0. Paul Konerko had two hits early in the game to get to 1,999 career hits with the White Sox. He came up three more times with a chance for number 2000, but failed to get that milestone hit. US Cellular Field is still in great shape, but somewhat generic compared to most of the modern stadiums, but it still is a great place to watch a game.
After the game ended, we walked back to "First Base" to have another cool one while the game time traffic subsided. We were greeted once again by "Carrie" and now also by "Devon", an off duty Bartender at the same establishment. We quickly struck up a friendship and enjoyed two hours of laughter before deciding to leave. If you are ever in Chicago, please patronize the "First Base." You won't be sorry. We made two new friends today and will look forward to seeing both of them again in the future.
We were both incredibly hungry (imagine that!) and decided to try "Gino's East" for deep dish pizza for dinner. Another winner! We turned in early after reminiscing about the great day that we once again enjoyed.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park
On Thursday we drove from Washington, DC to Pittsburgh. We checked into our hotel and then decided to have dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant. Pittsburgh doesn't seem to be the best place for Mexican food as we both had very poor to mediocre meals. Later in the evening we went to Rita's Ice for the 4th time in 4 days.
On Friday we drove around some of the outlying Pittsburgh suburbs. We then worked our way towards downtown to take the Incline up to the top of Mount Washington which has spectacular views of the Pittsburgh skyline and offers views of the football and baseball stadiums. The Incline is a very old cable car that was originally used in the late 1800's to take commuters from Mt Washington to downtown Pittsburgh. At the base of the Incline there were all sorts of shops and restaurants that we looked through and there is a Hard Rock Cafe where Tina purchased a couple of pins for her collection.
From the Incline, we then drove across downtown to an area known as The Strip for lunch at the original Primanti Bros Restaurant. Primanti Bros are known for their sandwiches which are stuffed with coleslaw and french fries. The Strip is just a few block from the downtown area and has many shops, open markets, and restaurants to explore. As we were eating our lunch, there was heavy rain and thunderstorms so we did not get a chance to walk around. We then worked our way back to downtown through the pouring rain and found a parking garage to park for the game. Most of the downtown parking lots are $5 to park on game days and it is a very short, beautiful walk across the Clemente Bridge to PNC Park.
The rain was letting up by the time we walked to the stadium and the skies were lightening. We circled the concourse a couple times mostly just for shelter. The views inside and outside the stadium are spectacular. This is one of the best, if not the best, stadium in all of baseball. The game started about 45 minutes late due to the rain, but once the game started there were no weather issues. The game was very exciting and the Pittsburgh fans were very loud and loyal despite the Pirates recent struggles. The Pirates lost to the Cincinnati Reds 11-8 as the Reds scored 3 runs in the ninth. They have a perfect amount of between inning activities to engage the fans including a 'Pierogi' Race and a 'We-are-Fa-Ma-Lie Feud' game that was amusing and entertaining. The night time skyline views from the park are truly spectacular, but couldn't be captured on film.
On Friday we drove around some of the outlying Pittsburgh suburbs. We then worked our way towards downtown to take the Incline up to the top of Mount Washington which has spectacular views of the Pittsburgh skyline and offers views of the football and baseball stadiums. The Incline is a very old cable car that was originally used in the late 1800's to take commuters from Mt Washington to downtown Pittsburgh. At the base of the Incline there were all sorts of shops and restaurants that we looked through and there is a Hard Rock Cafe where Tina purchased a couple of pins for her collection.
From the Incline, we then drove across downtown to an area known as The Strip for lunch at the original Primanti Bros Restaurant. Primanti Bros are known for their sandwiches which are stuffed with coleslaw and french fries. The Strip is just a few block from the downtown area and has many shops, open markets, and restaurants to explore. As we were eating our lunch, there was heavy rain and thunderstorms so we did not get a chance to walk around. We then worked our way back to downtown through the pouring rain and found a parking garage to park for the game. Most of the downtown parking lots are $5 to park on game days and it is a very short, beautiful walk across the Clemente Bridge to PNC Park.
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| View of PNC Park and Clemente Bridge from Parking Garage |
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Washington, DC - Nationals Park
We decided to take it easy Wednesday and just relax at the pool before the 7pm game. It was mostly sunny that afternoon and it felt good to stay off our feet after two days of touring the museums and the zoo.
We decided drive to the stadium instead of taking the Metro. The drive was fairly easy as most people were coming out of DC in the afternoon as we were heading in. We found some free parking on the street about a half mile from the stadium. There were parking lots right near where we parked that were $20. This free parking seemed too good to be true, but we verified with a local couple that was parking in a similar spot that it was OK to park there for the game and then made the short walk to the stadium.
The stadium is located really close to the Anacostia River and the Naval Yard. We arrived inside the stadium and watched batting practice from the left field bleachers. Kevin came close to catching a couple of batting practice home run balls. We walked through the main level concourse. Tina had her picture taken with the Thomas Jefferson mascot and then went to our seats. We had first row seats down the first base line. We were about 10 feet from the foul line and got a very close look at the right fielder.
There was a very good crowd, not full but not a great number of empty seats. The Nationals were playing the -Cincinnati Reds, and it was a close, exciting game that the Reds ended up winning 2-1. The Nationals loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score. It was about a 12 mile drive back to our hotel in Maryland and was very quick and easy.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Washington, D.C.
On Monday, we took the Metro train from Maryland to Washington D.C. to take in some of the historical sights. There were so many things to do and so many choices to make, given the amount of time that we had to spend. We decided to make our first destination the Smithsonian Museum of American History. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that there are no admission fees to any of the Smithsonian Museums. Thomas Smithson, the founder of the museums, had the stipulation that no admission fees were to ever be charged to visit these institutions. What a bargain!
We spent several hours admiring the exhibits. Tina enjoyed the First Ladies exhibit that featured the gowns of all the American President's wives. She also enjoyed the Pop Culture exhibit that featured Dorothy's ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz, the set of the All in the Family living room, the original Muppets before they were on Sesame Street, the Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist doll, and Phyllis Diller's file cabinet of original gags that contained more than 50,000 jokes on index cards.
Kevin enjoyed the exhibits pertaining to Science, Technology, Transportation, and War. We were both very touched at the September 11, 2001 exhibit that featured two portions of the metal structures from the World Trade Center and also the charred phone and identification card that were found on the remains of a Pentagon employee who lost his life in the bombing.
Other items of interest consisted of exhibits pertaining to Slavery, the History of American Presidents, and the History of the Media.
We left the museum with sore and tired feet and decided to get a quick bite to eat. We headed back to Union Station and were pleasantly surprised with all of the food and beverage offerings. Tina had one of the best Chicken Salad sandwiches in her life (at a train station!) and Kevin had a tasty BBQ Chicken dinner.
After dinner, we decided to take the Monuments By Moonlight trolley car tour. This was an absolutely breathtaking tour and featured sights that included the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Arlington National Cemetery. We took some awesome pictures and received a great history lesson regarding our Nation's Capital. We definitely want to return to Washington D.C. in the future to spend some more time going through all of the Smithsonian Museums.
On Tuesday, August 17th we returned to Washington D.C. and spent the afternoon at the Smithsonian National Zoo. It was a gorgeous day and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Giant Pandas, Lions, Tigers, and Monkeys to name a few. We both felt like kids again and enjoyed all of the exhibits. Once again, we had the good fortune of taking some amazing pictures.
We then boarded the crowded, rush-hour Metro train to make our way to the Washington National's Stadium for the 7:05 PM game. Imagine the look on Tina's face when the ticket taker advised us that our tickets were not for tonight's game, but rather were for tomorrow nights game instead. No harm, no foul. We were both tired from walking all day and decided to go back to Maryland for dinner. We made another trip to Rita's Ice for dessert and then relaxed for the remainder of the evening in our hotel.
We spent several hours admiring the exhibits. Tina enjoyed the First Ladies exhibit that featured the gowns of all the American President's wives. She also enjoyed the Pop Culture exhibit that featured Dorothy's ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz, the set of the All in the Family living room, the original Muppets before they were on Sesame Street, the Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist doll, and Phyllis Diller's file cabinet of original gags that contained more than 50,000 jokes on index cards.
Kevin enjoyed the exhibits pertaining to Science, Technology, Transportation, and War. We were both very touched at the September 11, 2001 exhibit that featured two portions of the metal structures from the World Trade Center and also the charred phone and identification card that were found on the remains of a Pentagon employee who lost his life in the bombing.
Other items of interest consisted of exhibits pertaining to Slavery, the History of American Presidents, and the History of the Media.
We left the museum with sore and tired feet and decided to get a quick bite to eat. We headed back to Union Station and were pleasantly surprised with all of the food and beverage offerings. Tina had one of the best Chicken Salad sandwiches in her life (at a train station!) and Kevin had a tasty BBQ Chicken dinner.
After dinner, we decided to take the Monuments By Moonlight trolley car tour. This was an absolutely breathtaking tour and featured sights that included the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Arlington National Cemetery. We took some awesome pictures and received a great history lesson regarding our Nation's Capital. We definitely want to return to Washington D.C. in the future to spend some more time going through all of the Smithsonian Museums.
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| Iwo Jima Memorial |
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| Korean War Veteran's Memorial |
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| Washington Monument |
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| Lincoln Memorial |
We then boarded the crowded, rush-hour Metro train to make our way to the Washington National's Stadium for the 7:05 PM game. Imagine the look on Tina's face when the ticket taker advised us that our tickets were not for tonight's game, but rather were for tomorrow nights game instead. No harm, no foul. We were both tired from walking all day and decided to go back to Maryland for dinner. We made another trip to Rita's Ice for dessert and then relaxed for the remainder of the evening in our hotel.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Baltimore - Oriole Park at Camden Yards
On Sunday, we needed to leave Philadelphia/South Jersey in the early morning for an afternoon game. Kevin was under the impression that we needed to get to Washington DC for a National's game, but realized along the way that we just saw the Nationals in Philadelphia on Saturday night, so they wouldn't be playing in Washington DC. We stopped and looked at our tickets and then changed our destination to Baltimore, which was along the way we were heading, so no real damage done.
We arrived in downtown Baltimore earlier than we needed to, due to the slight itinerary confusion. It was raining, quite heavy at times, on the drive to Baltimore and it was really coming down as we drove around the empty Baltimore streets on a Sunday morning. We were genuinely concerned that this game would be rained out. We had an hour or so to kill, and were thinking of stopping somewhere in the Inner Harbor area, but after we circled a few times looking for somewhere to park, we just decided to head closer to the stadium and find somewhere to park. We found a lot very near the stadium for $10 and then stopped at a nearby restaurant for a pre-game meal. By now the rain had let up slightly and the skies looked promising.
We walked across the street to the stadium and walked around the concourses and enjoyed the scenery at this beautiful stadium. The grounds crew had the tarp off the infield, which was a very encouraging sign that the game would still start on time. We made our way down to our seats about 45 minutes before game time and dried off the moisture. We had fantastic seats in the fifth row, just past third base. As soon as we sat down and got comfortable, the grounds crew started unrolling the tarp and it started to once again pour. We hurried back to the shelter of the concourse, preparing for a lengthy delay. However, the rain quickly stopped, the tarp was removed from the field and the game started on time without any other rain issues.
We ended up having a great time at the game. The sun actually came out for most of the afternoon and it was hot and muggy. The Orioles were playing the Detroit Tigers. The Orioles pulled ahead and were leading 8 to 1 going into the ninth inning. Detroit quickly scored 4 runs in the ninth and had the bases loaded. Baltimore held on and won the game 8-5, but it was very exciting at the end.
After the game we wanted to get a local, authentic Maryland seafood dinner. We found a place, Al's Seafood, that was located in nearby Essex, Maryland. Kevin tried the all you can eat Maryland crabs and Tina had a seafood platter. The crabs were small and a lot of work. Kevin had six crabs that took about an hour to eat, and yielded about 1/8 of a cup of meat. Nearby tables were going through buckets of crabs in the same amount of time. Tina's seafood platter was not very good, either. It included a small lobster tail that could have been the chewiest, most rubbery piece of food either of us have ever encountered.
We left the restaurant very disappointed and headed to our Washington, DC area hotel. We checked in and then looked for someplace for a desert as a palate cleanser after our horrible meal. We found a place called Rita's Ice, which sold Italian Ice and Frozen Custard. Tina had a cup of Coconut Ice and Kevin had Swedish Fish Ice. We both enjoyed these cool, tasty dishes.
We arrived in downtown Baltimore earlier than we needed to, due to the slight itinerary confusion. It was raining, quite heavy at times, on the drive to Baltimore and it was really coming down as we drove around the empty Baltimore streets on a Sunday morning. We were genuinely concerned that this game would be rained out. We had an hour or so to kill, and were thinking of stopping somewhere in the Inner Harbor area, but after we circled a few times looking for somewhere to park, we just decided to head closer to the stadium and find somewhere to park. We found a lot very near the stadium for $10 and then stopped at a nearby restaurant for a pre-game meal. By now the rain had let up slightly and the skies looked promising.
We walked across the street to the stadium and walked around the concourses and enjoyed the scenery at this beautiful stadium. The grounds crew had the tarp off the infield, which was a very encouraging sign that the game would still start on time. We made our way down to our seats about 45 minutes before game time and dried off the moisture. We had fantastic seats in the fifth row, just past third base. As soon as we sat down and got comfortable, the grounds crew started unrolling the tarp and it started to once again pour. We hurried back to the shelter of the concourse, preparing for a lengthy delay. However, the rain quickly stopped, the tarp was removed from the field and the game started on time without any other rain issues.
We ended up having a great time at the game. The sun actually came out for most of the afternoon and it was hot and muggy. The Orioles were playing the Detroit Tigers. The Orioles pulled ahead and were leading 8 to 1 going into the ninth inning. Detroit quickly scored 4 runs in the ninth and had the bases loaded. Baltimore held on and won the game 8-5, but it was very exciting at the end.
After the game we wanted to get a local, authentic Maryland seafood dinner. We found a place, Al's Seafood, that was located in nearby Essex, Maryland. Kevin tried the all you can eat Maryland crabs and Tina had a seafood platter. The crabs were small and a lot of work. Kevin had six crabs that took about an hour to eat, and yielded about 1/8 of a cup of meat. Nearby tables were going through buckets of crabs in the same amount of time. Tina's seafood platter was not very good, either. It included a small lobster tail that could have been the chewiest, most rubbery piece of food either of us have ever encountered.
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| Maryland Crabs |
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Philadelphia - Citizens Bank Park
On Saturday we headed back to the Cherry Hill Diner for a late breakfast/early lunch before starting our day in Philadelphia. We drove towards downtown and toured a few of Philadelphia's historical places, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Later, we realized we had only taken one picture of this historic area and that was Kevin with a statue of the Philly Phanatic.
We then drove to the Philadelphia Art Museum, made most famous by the Rocky movies. We took a picture of the Rocky statue at the base of the stairs and Tina took pictures of Kevin running up the stairs "Rocky" style.
It was now about time to head to Citizens Bank Park for the Saturday night game, but we decided to give the cheese steaks another shot. We went to a place, Jim's Steaks, which seems to be more touted by the locals than Geno's or Pat's. Jim's is located in the very eclectic South Street area that we plan to revisit in future travels to Philadelphia. There was a very long line at Jim's, which seemed like a good sign. The line moved extremely slow, but the meat and sandwiches looked pretty good, so we waited for nearly an hour to get our cheese steaks. We took the cheese steaks to the stadium parking lot and were once again extremely disappointed. The meat was dry and flavorless. Zero for two for cheese steaks this Philly trip, but I'm sure we will give them another shot the next time we visit.
It was raining as we ate our cheese steaks in our car at the Citizen Bank Park's parking lot and we really feared a rain-out. We ate our sandwiches and then proceeded into the stadium. The rain had stopped as we walked to the stadium and it turned out to be a nice evening. The stadium is very nice and the Philadelphia fans, especially in the upper levels where we had seats, were very boisterous and energetic. It is a quite an enjoyable experience watching a Phillie's game, if only to see the antics of the Philly Phanatic. The Phillies crushed the Washington Nationals 11-3.
Once the game ended we made our way back to our car. The sports complex in South Philadelphia is massive as the football stadium and basketball/hockey arenas are located nearby. The parking lots are also massive and we (Kevin) got a little disoriented and we ended up taking the long way to car, much to Tina's dismay. We eventually made it back to the car and on the freeway back to New Jersey. We had to stop at the Cherry Hill Diner for a third time in two days for a box full of deserts to take back to the room.
We then drove to the Philadelphia Art Museum, made most famous by the Rocky movies. We took a picture of the Rocky statue at the base of the stairs and Tina took pictures of Kevin running up the stairs "Rocky" style.
It was now about time to head to Citizens Bank Park for the Saturday night game, but we decided to give the cheese steaks another shot. We went to a place, Jim's Steaks, which seems to be more touted by the locals than Geno's or Pat's. Jim's is located in the very eclectic South Street area that we plan to revisit in future travels to Philadelphia. There was a very long line at Jim's, which seemed like a good sign. The line moved extremely slow, but the meat and sandwiches looked pretty good, so we waited for nearly an hour to get our cheese steaks. We took the cheese steaks to the stadium parking lot and were once again extremely disappointed. The meat was dry and flavorless. Zero for two for cheese steaks this Philly trip, but I'm sure we will give them another shot the next time we visit.
It was raining as we ate our cheese steaks in our car at the Citizen Bank Park's parking lot and we really feared a rain-out. We ate our sandwiches and then proceeded into the stadium. The rain had stopped as we walked to the stadium and it turned out to be a nice evening. The stadium is very nice and the Philadelphia fans, especially in the upper levels where we had seats, were very boisterous and energetic. It is a quite an enjoyable experience watching a Phillie's game, if only to see the antics of the Philly Phanatic. The Phillies crushed the Washington Nationals 11-3.
Once the game ended we made our way back to our car. The sports complex in South Philadelphia is massive as the football stadium and basketball/hockey arenas are located nearby. The parking lots are also massive and we (Kevin) got a little disoriented and we ended up taking the long way to car, much to Tina's dismay. We eventually made it back to the car and on the freeway back to New Jersey. We had to stop at the Cherry Hill Diner for a third time in two days for a box full of deserts to take back to the room.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
We left Stamford early in the morning on Friday, August 12th and made our way to Mount Laurel, New Jersey. We then drove into Philadelphia for lunch at the famous Pat's Cheese Steaks. We have had a craving for these Cheese Steaks for the past seven years, which was the last time we were in Philly. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with our experience. The sandwiches seemed dry and lacked the greasy taste that we became accustomed to. We felt cheated!
We checked into our hotel and continued to lament about our poor lunch choice. New Jersey is known for it's diners and we decided to try our luck for dinner. Luckily, we found a real gem- The Cherry Hill Diner. Our meals were plentiful and cheap! And...the dessert case was a work of art. Tina went ga-ga over the Chocolate Chip Canolis and made the decision to indulge. We will definitely make a trip back here before we leave for our next destination because "Nothing could be finer than another meal at the Cherry Hill Diner."
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| Geno's Across the Street From Pat's |
Thursday, August 11, 2011
So Long Stamford....
We had a wonderful time with Rich and Linda during this past week. Unfortunately, we both were battling colds and didn't feel like doing too much other than reminiscing about the fond memories of our past, and of course, eating. It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise that we had a comfortable place to rest and relax for the past week. Rich and Linda are both wonderful hosts, and we are most appreciative of the hospitality that has been shown to us.
We enjoyed a Bon Voyage dinner at the Cappricio Restaurant in downtown Stamford on Thursday, August 10th. The four of us shared a pitcher of Mojitos, which was a refreshing accompaniment to our Italian dishes. We then finished the evening with some Italian Gelato for dessert. To sum up our evening- good company, good food, and good conversation.
It is a great feeling to know that not only are Rich and Linda our cousins, but more importantly they are also our friends. Thanks to both of you for providing us with another dose of family love during our journey of a lifetime. We love you and appreciate you more than words can say.
We enjoyed a Bon Voyage dinner at the Cappricio Restaurant in downtown Stamford on Thursday, August 10th. The four of us shared a pitcher of Mojitos, which was a refreshing accompaniment to our Italian dishes. We then finished the evening with some Italian Gelato for dessert. To sum up our evening- good company, good food, and good conversation.
It is a great feeling to know that not only are Rich and Linda our cousins, but more importantly they are also our friends. Thanks to both of you for providing us with another dose of family love during our journey of a lifetime. We love you and appreciate you more than words can say.
Bronx, NY - Yankee Stadium
We all had tickets to the Tuesday night Yankees game. At 4:00 pm there were thunderstorms throughout the entire New York area and reports of flooding. We were planning on taking the train that runs from Stamford directly to Yankee Stadium. We all assumed that the game would be cancelled and didn't want to spend a couple hours on a train just to sit in the rain for a couple of more hours. Kevin decided to go alone to at least, hopefully, get into the stadium and walk around and take pictures. The train left Stamford at about 5:30 pm, and at that time the weather still looked ominous. It was a direct train and the train arrived at the Yankee Stadium, 153rd St. Station at about 6:15 pm. It was a short walk from the station to the stadium. By
6:30 pm the skies were lightening and the possibility of a game seemed more and more likely. At game time the skies were beginning to clear and the game started on time. The weather for the game turned out to be ideal. Tina, Rich, and Linda remained in Stamford, regretting the decision to stay behind, and Kevin watched the game, wishing that everyone would have joined him. We all kept in touch via text messages with Kevin at the stadium, and Rich, Linda, and Tina watching the game on TV in Connecticut.
The new Yankee stadium is beautiful, both inside and out. From the seats it still looks and feels much like the old stadium, but with updated concourses, restaurants, and nice restrooms. The game was very exciting as the Angels beat the Yankees on a ninth inning home run off Mariano Rivera. The passion and enthusiasm of the Yankee fans makes for an enjoyable and interesting baseball experience. After the game, Kevin made the short walk back to the train station for the hour long ride back to Stamford.
6:30 pm the skies were lightening and the possibility of a game seemed more and more likely. At game time the skies were beginning to clear and the game started on time. The weather for the game turned out to be ideal. Tina, Rich, and Linda remained in Stamford, regretting the decision to stay behind, and Kevin watched the game, wishing that everyone would have joined him. We all kept in touch via text messages with Kevin at the stadium, and Rich, Linda, and Tina watching the game on TV in Connecticut.
The new Yankee stadium is beautiful, both inside and out. From the seats it still looks and feels much like the old stadium, but with updated concourses, restaurants, and nice restrooms. The game was very exciting as the Angels beat the Yankees on a ninth inning home run off Mariano Rivera. The passion and enthusiasm of the Yankee fans makes for an enjoyable and interesting baseball experience. After the game, Kevin made the short walk back to the train station for the hour long ride back to Stamford.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
New York Mets, Citi Field
Sunday morning we awoke to heavy rain in Stamford and were preparing for a cool and wet Mets game with our Cousins Linda and Rich. Linda expertly drove us from Stamford to Citi Field near Laguardia Airport. There was plenty of parking available for $19 - not terrible for New York. The stadium is a huge improvement over the old Shea Stadium. The Rotunda, that was modeled after Ebbets Field, was very nice.
We arrived at the stadium, and upon entering, were presented with souvenir plastic Mets Logo cups. We all filled our cups with water because the rain had subsided and it turned out to be a very hot and muggy afternoon. We made our way to our seats which were in the second row of the the top level. The seats were in the direct sunlight and it was uncomfortably hot, especially since we were both coming down with colds. Occasionally, the sun would go behind a cloud and there would be a cool breeze, but we all needed to go to the concourse to get some shade and relief from the sun from time to time.
The game turned out to be a very exciting. The Mets were playing the Atlanta Braves. The Mets tied the game in the seventh inning, but Atlanta scored a run in the ninth inning to win 6-5.
After the game we drove back to Stamford and we all had a great dinner at a Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Pearl East, in Stamford.
We arrived at the stadium, and upon entering, were presented with souvenir plastic Mets Logo cups. We all filled our cups with water because the rain had subsided and it turned out to be a very hot and muggy afternoon. We made our way to our seats which were in the second row of the the top level. The seats were in the direct sunlight and it was uncomfortably hot, especially since we were both coming down with colds. Occasionally, the sun would go behind a cloud and there would be a cool breeze, but we all needed to go to the concourse to get some shade and relief from the sun from time to time.
The game turned out to be a very exciting. The Mets were playing the Atlanta Braves. The Mets tied the game in the seventh inning, but Atlanta scored a run in the ninth inning to win 6-5.
After the game we drove back to Stamford and we all had a great dinner at a Chinese and Japanese restaurant, Pearl East, in Stamford.
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