Sunday Stadium Review - Broncos

 Denver Broncos

Name of Stadium: Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Capacity: 76,125

Game Attended: versus Colts in September 2016 with Chris

Worked a game at this stadium? No.

Of all the times I've envisioned attending a Broncos game, I never once anticipated needing sunscreen. When we watched them play a month ago, we might as well have been sitting on the equator! Our seats were located exactly one row from the top of the stadium and it was toasty to say the least. And...in case you're wondering...the elevation issue is no joke. The stadium itself sits one mile above sea level. I think we may have been two miles above by the time we reached our seats.

Let me start at the beginning because the exterior of this stadium is quite unique. We arrived early enough to look around at the monuments and statues. I loved the stampede of horses making their way toward the entrance of the stadium - very neat! The other interesting item of note was the massive amount of Broncos fans everywhere. It is rare that the stadium isn't a bit of a mix of visiting and home fans, but Denver was on it! We saw extremely few fans in the opposing jersey that day.

Needless to say, the atmosphere is electric. Besides the blazing sun beaming down on us, we really enjoyed the game. It was exciting to see a live mascot running the length of the field at various breaks in the game. I've seen live mascots at a couple other stadiums along the way and think it really adds to the in stadium experience. Overall, I found this stadium to be fantastic. Definitely a stadium (and city) I would recommend visiting. But only if you plan on cheering for the Broncos, of course!

I only have four stadiums remaining now. It's highly unlikely I'll manage another stadium this season, but I'm slowly making my way to the finish line on this bucket list item!

Andrea :)

Sunday Stadium Review - Raiders

 Oakland Raiders

Name of Stadium: O.co Coliseum

Capacity: 56,057

Game Attended: versus Ravens in September 2015 with Chris

Worked a game at this stadium? No.

If nothing else, the Raiders stadium is located in a quaint area full of running trails.  I was quite surprised when we pulled into the parking area!  The day was another absolute scorcher which made the long walk from the parking lot to the stadium seem even longer!

As we moved closer and closer to the stadium, we came upon pods of tailgaters.  I loved the decked out vehicles and fans we saw along the way.  Once we arrived at the gate to enter, there was a major jam of people.  I'm not sure if they have a more thorough security process that other stadiums I have attended or there was just a lack of staff to screen fans, but we waited for quite some time before making it to the front of the line.

I was excited to see how the stadium looked inside.  It is an older stadium and also shared with the Oakland A's baseball team.  The stadium could certainly use an upgrade, but it also didn't appear near as old as the Chargers stadium we visited the week before.  I am guessing they cover the upper deck on one side because they aren't able to sell enough tickets.  I have only noticed that one other place - Jacksonville.  The section covered here seemed to expand over a much larger space though!

I really liked the huge video boards in both endzones.  One was almost directly behind our seats which made for some nice views of replays!  I have never been a big fan of the way the field is laid out to include the baseball infield, but I don't think there is much that can be done about that.  It made it difficult for me to see at times.  I'm sure it is very odd for the players out there as well.

The heat (and insanely long concession lines) caused us to miss a portion of the third quarter.  And we had to leave with about five minutes left in the game in order to catch our flight.  However, I would actually be interested in going back to a game here again.  It was a fun and friendly atmosphere...especially since we weren't rooting against the home team!

Andrea :)

Sunday Stadium Review - 49ers

  San Francisco 49ers

Name of Stadium: Levi's Stadium

Capacity: 68,500

Game Attended: versus Vikings in September 2015 with Chris

Worked a game at this stadium? No.

We took the train from San Jose to the stadium.  It was quick and easy.  And it dropped us off just outside the stadium.  Definitely recommend taking the train if you are visiting the area just for a game. Or biking there - so impressed to see the massive amount of bikes being stored by stadium staff in the parking lot area!

Once we arrived, there was a bit of a walk over to the entrance of the stadium from the train.  Since it was the first MNF game of the year, the energy level was high.  Lots of excited fans surrounded us as we walked toward the entrance.  Security lines moved quickly and several staff were on hand to direct us to our section.

We had seats in the upper level for this one and arrived in plenty of time to see the final pre-game activities on field.  Additionally, we were excited to see that t-shirts had been laid across each seat in the stadium - what a treat!  It is something I might expect in the lower bowl or for the first 10,000 fans to enter, but t-shirts for everyone?!?  Wow...totally impressed!

As it turns out, we needed those shirts!  The warm temps in California fooled us into thinking it would nice all night for the game.  It never really got cold exactly...but it was super windy in our area!  That was the only bummer of the night to be honest.  The stadium is stunning!  And even from our bird's eye view, we could see everything easily.  I love the big screens and interactive feel of the stadium.  We could definitely tell we were in a special place!

We managed to grab some hot chocolate at the half to warm up.  It worked pretty well for awhile, but we eventually made our way down to the concourse level of a lower part of the stadium to attempt to avoid the wind.  It worked pretty well, but we couldn't see much standing in that area.  Fortunately, the game was nearly over by that point.

Exiting a stadium is nearly always a chaotic mess, but the 49ers had a really great system.  Several stadium attendants were stationed at the exit directing fans toward three different lines based on which direction they planned to go on the train.  It seemed to be very effective.  And we were fortunate enough to be heading in the opposite direction of most of the crowd.

Andrea :)

Sunday Stadium Review - Chargers

San Diego Chargers

Name of Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium

Capacity: 70,561

Game Attended: versus Lions in September 2015 with Chris

Worked a game at this stadium? No.

We had been warned by others that the Qualcomm experience leaves much to be desired, but we were optimistic going into the day.  We decided to take public transportation via train to avoid parking issues.  Unfortunately, the train was running about 30 minutes behind schedule so we missed a good chunk of the first quarter by the time we finally arrived at the stadium.

Our tickets were in the upper deck just a few rows shy of the top of the stadium.  The photo above was taken from the top row so the entire field could be seen.  Please notice how small the only screen in the stadium appears.  It fits right in with all the banners - barely noticeable at all.  However, our overall view wasn't terrible even though about 15 yards of the left side of the endzone on our end couldn't be seen when sitting in our seats.  We had to stand if there was any action going on in that area.  I'd definitely recommend getting tickets along the sidelines for the best view.

As it turned out, I didn't mind sitting with a wall barrier blocking my view because it was blazing hot and that wall provided me the tiniest bit of much needed shade.  And that was really my central focus at the time!  We weren't prepared for it to be such a scorcher!

To be completely honest, this stadium was by far the worst I have visited.  The building is old and the technology in the stadium needs to be updated without a doubt.  They weren't even using flat screens in the concourse area.  And just to preview a bit, it wasn't the only stadium on our California tour using such old school technology.  I really couldn't comprehend it! 

Between the heat and lack of being able to see the only "big" screen in the stadium, I didn't have a very enjoyable experience.  The best part was when I watched the game during the 3rd quarter from the shaded concourse on one of those old school TVs.  Well...and the end, of course.  That is always my favorite part!

Taking the train after the game proved to be an adventure in itself - check out that line!!  Fortunately, we were going in the opposite direction of most of the crowd, but we still had a packed train!  In the end, I'm glad we checked this one off the list...but I certainly won't be making plans for a return visit anytime soon!

Andrea :)

Sunday Stadium Review - Lions

Detroit Lions
 

Name of Stadium: Ford Field

Capacity: 65,000

Game Attended: versus Bills in October 2014 with Chris

Worked a game at this stadium? No.

 

Last weekend, Chris and I made a quick weekend getaway to Detroit. One of our main objectives was to cross another stadium off my bucket list.  After our visit to Ford Field, I only have eight stadiums left.  That means I am 3/4 of the way there...hooray!!

The stadium is right downtown just across from the Tigers' baseball stadium.  It was a TOTAL cluster of people at the entrance.  The picture above was taken roughly five minutes before kickoff.  There were some serious issues with getting people into the stadium quickly particularly as game time approached, but the crowd was fairly peaceful.  Unfortunately, we were stuck by a group of smokers though.  Yuck!

Once inside, we were caught up in the game immediately with the massive roars from the crowd - it was loud!  We had to walk halfway around the stadium to our seats, but we were able to check out the wide array of vendors on our walk so we knew exactly what we wanted for lunch by the time we made it to our nosebleed section!

The game started out as a Lions blowout, but some kicker trouble allowed the Bills to turn things around and make a game out of it.  We saw two field goals hit the upright!  Major kicker issues in Detroit!  In the end, the Bills were victorious...and we were shocked by the passive, accepting nature of the Lions fans.  I heard more than one group commenting that at least the kicker was their main problem.  Not sure if that says more about the people of Detriot or is merely a side effect of having a very bad team for a very long time.  Either way, it made for an interesting and at times comical departure from the stadium.

Overall, I liked Ford Field.  Being indoors makes life so much easier...and it can have some definite advantages in the noise level department, too.  There wasn't anything particularly stellar about the stadium, but it is a quite nice venue. 

Andrea :)

Meeting Denzel...

In the Spring of 2010, my life was forever changed.  If you've been following along, you'll know that is the when I met my now fiance', Christopher.  What you may NOT know is that I also met Denzel Washington that fateful Spring.  The memory is still fresh...

Meeting Denzel was on my bucket list.  And when my dad informed me that he read Denzel was coming to Broadway, I couldn't believe it!  This was my chance!  I quickly corralled my friend, Tarra, and headed straight to the box office to buy our tickets.  I wasn't accustomed to paying the price these tickets cost me, but I happily laid out the money for the opportunity ahead.

Tarra and I had a wonderful time at the show!  It was a truly spectacular performance by both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.  Phenomenal, actually.  We were seated in the orchestra, and I'll never forget how excited I was when Denzel walked onto the stage for the first time.  The excitement didn't last long as I settled into the plot and was loving every minute of the story that unfolded before me.

Got this shot at curtain call. Not sure if I was supposed to, but I did.

There were other celebs in the house.  We saw Steve Harvey on our way in.  Tarra spotted Ben Stiller in the section next to us in the orchestra.  At a later performance, I happened to be passing by the theater and saw Oprah making a beeline from her car to the theater doors.  No one compared to Denzel though.

The night we saw the show, Tarra was totally on board to help me make this bucket list dream of meeting Denzel come true.  We weren't sure how packed it would be outside by the stage door, but we took our chances.  We were about two rows back, but when the man of the hour made his very quick appearance she was able to push me a little closer.  I was speechless and lost most of my ability to function (seriously, I was shaking!), but I did manage to yell out something to the effect of "You're beautiful!"  Odd, right?  Regardless, I was willing to count this encounter as "meeting" Denzel for the bucket list purposes because I *think* he looked me in the eye right before he got in the black Sedan and the driver sped away.  However, I knew I could do better...

So, I did.  I went back to the stage door a couple weeks later.  I wanted an autograph or photo proof or something.  I didn't have much of a plan the first time.  Yes, I went back twice.  The first time I discovered he doesn't sign autographs and he won't pose for pictures.  Total bummers.  I wasn't really prepared, but we did "meet" and I said something about the show and how wonderful he performed.  Lame.  On my third try, I had a plan...and we had a conversation.  An official meeting, if you will.  Back in my NFL Europa days, I had met, and obviously, befriended his son, John David.  He was allocated from the Rams, and we became fast friends.  Initially, I did acknowledge his father (and my insane love for his films, etc.), but I promised I wouldn't bring it up again...and I didn't.  JD was a nice guy and we had several talks about life over those couple months in Florida.  This, my friends, would prove to be my conversation starter.  Why hadn't I thought of this sooner??  I mean how could Denzel NOT want to talk about his own son.  So...out the stage door Denzel comes and I was prepared.  We had our roughly 30 second conversation.  I was pleased.  Denzel was nice and even told me that JD would be at the show the next night.  I contemplated coming back, but decided that was too stalkerish.  Instead, I walked home and very proudly marked an item off my bucket list!

Tonight, I will be seeing my friend Denzel on stage again.  This time in a story that I know well - A Raisin in the Sun.  I am very much looking forward to the performance, but in a much different way.  This one cost a VERY pretty penny (nearly double what it cost four years ago!) so I'm going alone.  I am in the orchestra again...and I'm sure I'll be quite excited when he walks out onto the stage.  But this time, he's no stranger to me!

Andrea :)

She's Wicked!

After seeing Idina Menzel in If/Then this weekend, I couldn't help but think of how I first learned about this super talented lady - WICKED!!  I swear I had that CD on repeat for more than a full year!  I was the definition of obessed in the mid 2000's.  I regretted not seeing the show in London when I studied abroad there for a summer so tickets to see the show were the only thing on my Golden Birthday wish list back in 2007.

I had just moved to New York City a few months prior so mom and dad were happy to meet me in Chicago for a birthday to remember.  They got us tickets in the second row of the theater.  I don't think I have ever quite had a similar broadway experience since that night.  I seriously felt like I was in the show.  And I was definitely singing every word to every song.  Definitely.

It wasn't until the spring of 2010 that I had another opportunity to see my favorite show of all-time again.  My friend, Bukola, and I got partial view seats in the orchestra.  We saw everything just as fine as if we'd paid the high roller prices, but as luck would have it at the intermission a couple in the dead center asked if we minded to take their seats since they needed to be on the aisle to make a quick exit to the airport at the end of the show.  Um, yes!  We will take those seats.  No problem at all!  How lucky were we??

Since 2010, I had been dying to get back to London and see Wicked there, but it hadn't worked out when I went with mom and dad in 2011 so I started working it into every conversation that Chris and I had that even touched on anything remotely European.  Must have worked because he bought tickets for us when we made our trip to England last year in 2013.  It was just as great the third time!

I didn't realize it until I started writing this post, but it looks like I have a trend of seeing the show every three years.  Guess that means I'll be seeing it again in 2016. 

 

Who wants to go with me this time?  And where should we see it?  Lots to think about these next two years! :) 

 

Andrea :)

MLS, anyone?

Way back in the fall of 2010, Chris helped me mark off the first of many tasks he'd be roped into on my bucket list.

I had experienced professional football, basketball, and baseball a good number of times in my life, but I had yet to mark off Major League Soccer.  Being a huge soccer fan, Chris was more than willing to help me cross this one off my list. 

 

We ventured out to New Jersey (ironically) to watch the New York Red Bulls take on Real Salt Lake in a remarkably warm October match up.

I was excited to take in the whole experience and had an enjoyable time.  The thing I liked most was watching the mass of hooligans behind one of the goals as they stood and cheered throughout the match.  It was also exciting to see Thierry Henry play since I actually recognized that name from his international play.



By the end of the game, I was asking Chris when we could come back and watch them play a more well known team or a team with more well known stars.  I won't say I had caught the soccer fever, but I was intrigued.  It wasn't nearly as slow paced and boring as I had imagined it would be for all those years.  We had a fun time...and they even gave out free beanies :)

If you haven't given soccer a chance yet, I definitely recommend checking out the action live before totally dismissing it.  It is MUCH more exciting in person than on tv.  We've been to several games (though I'm not certain any have been MLS) since this experience.  I've enjoyed the atmosphere just as much each time.  I really like watching the US team play in friendlies when we get the chance!

Have you ever been to an MLS game?

Andrea :)

Ballet: The Nutcracker

A couple of years ago my friend, Emily, and I ventured out to watch the New York City Ballet perform The Nutcracker during the holiday season.  This was my first ballet.  I couldn't have picked a better one!  The dancing was spectacular and the story magical.  I really enjoyed the experience.  I haven't been to see another performance yet, but I would definitely love to see more sometime!

Have you been to see any holiday shows this year?

Andrea :)

Opera: Hansel and Gretel

I've always wanted to go to the opera.  And what better place to go for the first time than the Metropolitan Opera house in New York City.  Truly an ideal way to mark off an item on my bucket list!

My friend, Tarra, and I went to see Hansel and Gretel on a winter night a few years ago.  It was a fun experience that we both very much enjoyed.  We were sitting in the balcony, but had a great view.  It was neat to see all the costumes and scene changes.

I'm not sure what I expected going into it, but I wasn't prepared for the broadway like quality of the performance.  It was incredible to witness such wonderful talent.  One of my favorite scenes is captured above.  Those chefs are hilarious...and the fish head maitre' d was priceless!!

 

If you've never been to an opera, I highly suggest it!  We had a wonderful experience at the Met.

Andrea :)

Sunday Stadium Review - Redskins

Washington Redskins

Name of Stadium: FedEx Field

Capacity: 85,000

Game Attended: versus Chiefs in December 2013 with Chris

Worked a game at this stadium? No.

Last weekend, Chris and I began our journey to FedEx Field at 6:30am.  We took the MegaBus down to DC's Union Station where we met up with a couple of Chris' friends and boarded the metro headed toward the stadium.  

The weather forecast hadn't been stellar for the weekend.  I had never been to a football game in the snow before so this was definitely a different experience!  Our tickets were in the 300 level near the top of the stadium, but the view wasn't terrible there.  

By the time we found our seats, the snow and sleet was coming down pretty steady.  It was difficult to get too many pictures, but I managed to snap a few.  Besides the frigid conditions, it was actually fun to watch the action.  The Redskins seem to have checked out of the game pretty early so the Chiefs were taking full advantage...especially on special teams! 

After the half, we ventured down to the 100 level for a better (and covered) view of the game even though it was a blowout by then.  We met up with my co-worker in the section he and his friends had scouted out.  The snowy mixture had slowed down by then...and the stadium was essentially empty.

I really liked the way the stadium was laid out as well as the two large video board on either end of it.  These made it easy to follow the action regardless of the level where you were seated.  The other major plus for this stadium was affordable concessions.  They were selling hot chocolate for $5 when any other stadium would have been charging at least $8.  I was honestly surprised by the affordable pricing.  My co-worker was also able to get very inexpensive ($15-20) standing room tickets to the game.  Those were ideal for a day like we were there because there was plenty of extra seating throughout the stadium.

Overall, FedEx Field gets a thumbs up from me even given the conditions.  I mean, it would have been nice to have the stadium salted throughout and a bit better prepared for the elements, but from what I heard it is uncommon for the area.  I would definitely give the stadium another shot in some warmer months and with a full house cheering for their beloved team.  This was definitely an experience to remember though!

Andrea :)