Game 1: August 25, 2013 Red Sox at Dodgers

I've already been to 11 stadiums, including Dodger Stadium, but if I attend a stadium for the first time subsequent to starting this blog, I'll give a new review. It'll be a challenge to hit the remaining 19 stadiums, without having to repeat the 11 I've been to. I don't know when, or if, I'll complete this challenge. It's relatively easy to hit several in the Midwest at once. Besides the two New York stadiums, the rest of the stadiums are at least 250 miles from one another. I may be able to knock a couple out driving, but not many.

I went to Dodger stadium last night, mostly because my cousin is a big Red Sox fan and I wanted to do something nice for him. So I bought two tickets in the bleachers. Less than 90 minutes before game time, and less than 15 before we planned on leaving, he texted me he wouldn't make it. Seriously? We were going for him. His excuse was lame.

I took a new way to get to the stadium, getting off the 10 Freeway and going through Downtown LA, thus avoiding the 110 parking lot freeway. It was a great move for a Sunday. So I got there a little early and parking was a breeze.

Then I was faced with the question, beer or no beer. Here was the selection:

Not only was the selection lame, but they were charging $12.50 for a beer. Nope. No beer. I went to my seat, where I sat in front of these people.

There were a bunch of Red Sox fans, who were all very nice, and who had a good time. In fact, the fans were very nice to each other, regardless of the team they rooted for. There weren't any boorish drunks and there were only a couple of fans making off color comments about Jacoby Ellsbury's wife. I'm not sure that's boorish, although Ellsbury wasn't rattled. He made a great diving catch. In fact, the Red Sox weren't rattled at all, hitting three home runs that went to left field, if not near me. They won 8-1.

Food selection in the Left Field pavilion concessions was very limited, but I saw someone with french fries, a major weakness of mine. They weren't for sale at the concession stand, but I was told I could go to a different level. Just see one of the Dodger concierges. I did, but she was giving a "pass" to someone looking for a veggie burger and told me that she couldn't let me go to the Field level. Could I come back in 20 minutes? Twenty minutes? It was the 7th inning. By the time I got my food and got back to my seat, we're talking 35-40 minutes. The game could be over. Disappointed, I bought a beef dog, one of about three choices for someone who doesn't eat pork.

Yeah. It was about as tasty as it looked.

Overall, the view was good, the fans were nice, and the game was a good one. I even made it out of the parking quickly for once. I enjoy Dodger stadium. I just don't plan on enjoying the food or beer.