Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Tale of Two Parks


This year I had the opprotunity to visit 2 ballparks. AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, is by far the best ballpark. The food and drink raise the bar ridiculously high for other parks. Where else can you get a Boudin Sourdough bread bowl filled with clam chowder or Gilroy garlic fries?? As for drink, they serve many premium beers and even sangria. If non-alcoholic beverages tickle your fancy, Coca-Cola is a major sponsor. Check out left field, there is a GIANT coke bottle with a built in slide! Like I said, this park rocks!


San Francisco also offers the timeless waterfront view. The home of the "splash hit" into "McCovey Cove" makes this park one of a kind. When a slugger hits a fair ball into deep right over the heads of spectators, the only place for the baseball to land is the water. This causes a fog horn to blare and water to spurt out of the brick walls in deep right field. Gotta love water features!!!

Even if you are not a Giants fan, you have to visit the park to see the pristine beauty. I remember my first time there, I thought it looked like it was built out of Legos. It is that AMAZING! (can you tell I love me some Giants?!)

After the games, when everyone is leaving, a recording of Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" croons over the entire park. How do you not fall in love with the experience?!

On to the second park I visited this year...
Ranger's Stadium in Arlington, TX, home of the Texas Rangers! This is the park to visit for warm, balmy summer nights. Texas' unforgiving humidity sets the stage for the famous baseball and beer duo. Upon entering this park, I searched for bottled water and ice cold beer. Found quickly, since Budweiser and filtered water flow equally in Texas, I made my purchase.

Since we were in the nose bleeds, we had to take an ginormous escalator up to our seats. I had just purchased my beverages and the nice escalator attendant informed me that I could not transfer my alcoholic beverage up a level. My only choice was to chug, even though it was against their "rules".  (note: upon entering the park, you are handed a list of rules, including no PDA or public drunkeness)

Rules aside, Texas can host like no other state! The fellow fans were hospitable and park attendants quite polite. In fact, in the 7th inning stretch, you can learn all verses to "Deep in the Heart of Texas" complete with words on the scoreboard. This is Texas hospitality at it's finest. When I told fellow fans I was a SF Giants fan they were polite and replied how wonderful it was to have a visitor.

Here's to a kind and hospitable World's Series. 
Let's go Giants! (or Rangers) 
And Yippee to visits to both parks...who woulda thunk! Good stuff! ;)

2 comments:

~nanashouse~ said...

I love this post Emy! After spending the afternoon with you I can still feel your marvelous energy. Keep writing :-)

sciencegirl said...

Hey Emily,
(Livia's sister Laura here) If you get the chance, go to Safeco in Seattle. Some great PNW microbrews and sushi! The Ichi-roll in honor if Ichiro isn't half bad.