We headed down to Oakland this weekend to hang out with the Lees and attend our first (and probably only) Niners game! Our time was filled with ups and some downs (lamentably, not the type of downs you'd want watching *your* team play football).
UP: Seeing several old friends!
On Saturday evening, we had a homemade sushi dinner with fresh fish from the Tokyo Fish Market (with fixings including seaweed salad, edamame, miso soup, avocado, rice, spicy tuna, crab, hamachi/salmon/albacore/tuna, sea urchin, salmon skin and unagi.... MMM!).
We enjoyed seeing Amy and Jenny, some friends of K's from his UCLA days (who drove up from Fremont and San Jose, respectively), as well as Alvin (FP/psych friend from residency) and Brad & Serena who now live in the East Bay, too (Serena took a nice break from Psych boards-studying to join us!).
DOWN: On Saturday, Kelvin and I decided to set out on a 8-mile hike at nearby Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. Unfortunately, it POURED rain for the entire (which ended up being 6 miles due to trail closure) hike. All three of us (K, Pep, and me) were completely drenched from head to toe at the end of the hike. We didn't even take out the camera once. Let's hope our weather in Tanzania next month is a bit better. Interestingly, about an hour after we returned, the weather switched back to beautiful. Bad luck.
Sunday:
UP: we got all festive to head to all of our first 49ers game. Despite the Niners suffering a pitiful loss last weekend to Seattle, we were all very hopeful to see a better game this week, at home, and were excited to visit Candlestick Park in its last, "Farewell" season before the move to Santa Clara.
The kids were also incredibly well-behaved during the whole game. How many three year-olds do you know who would sit calmly for 3+ hours? They only knocked over a wee bit of kettlecorn onto the guy in front of us but he was a good sport. Sophia somehow took a little nap in the second half amidst the raucous cheering.
The pregame show included a lap around the field and some words by Jerry Rice, and the halftime show featured a reunion for the "Gold Rush" cheerleaders, but those really were the highlights of the game.
DOWN: This guy:
UP: Seeing several old friends!
On Saturday evening, we had a homemade sushi dinner with fresh fish from the Tokyo Fish Market (with fixings including seaweed salad, edamame, miso soup, avocado, rice, spicy tuna, crab, hamachi/salmon/albacore/tuna, sea urchin, salmon skin and unagi.... MMM!).
We enjoyed seeing Amy and Jenny, some friends of K's from his UCLA days (who drove up from Fremont and San Jose, respectively), as well as Alvin (FP/psych friend from residency) and Brad & Serena who now live in the East Bay, too (Serena took a nice break from Psych boards-studying to join us!).
The spread
Mason (now almost four!) wanted to roll his own rolls (Sophia, 18 months, looks on).
We had delicious mini-cheesecakes and cupcakes for dessert.
(We celebrated K's birthday a week early)
DOWN: On Saturday, Kelvin and I decided to set out on a 8-mile hike at nearby Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. Unfortunately, it POURED rain for the entire (which ended up being 6 miles due to trail closure) hike. All three of us (K, Pep, and me) were completely drenched from head to toe at the end of the hike. We didn't even take out the camera once. Let's hope our weather in Tanzania next month is a bit better. Interestingly, about an hour after we returned, the weather switched back to beautiful. Bad luck.
Sunday:
UP: we got all festive to head to all of our first 49ers game. Despite the Niners suffering a pitiful loss last weekend to Seattle, we were all very hopeful to see a better game this week, at home, and were excited to visit Candlestick Park in its last, "Farewell" season before the move to Santa Clara.
Sophia and Mason fed Pepper her breakfast
Aren't these jerseys the cutest?!
All ready in red!
We drove over the (new, now earthquake-proof) Bay Bridge into San Francisco
We parked well outside the park and then followed the other early fans to the stadium, passing lots of tailgaters :)
Since we arrived early, we had time to check out the 49ers Museum.
(I remember watching, on TV, last year's Espy-worthy game between the Niners and the Saints)
with Frank Gore's jersey :)
We miss Joe Montana...
... and Steve Young!
We need Kaepernick to step up!
UP: We had a lovely, bright sunny day!
Mason and Sophia got pins for attending their first Niners game!
The kids were also incredibly well-behaved during the whole game. How many three year-olds do you know who would sit calmly for 3+ hours? They only knocked over a wee bit of kettlecorn onto the guy in front of us but he was a good sport. Sophia somehow took a little nap in the second half amidst the raucous cheering.
Kaepernick and Harbaugh, getting warmed up
The pregame show included a lap around the field and some words by Jerry Rice, and the halftime show featured a reunion for the "Gold Rush" cheerleaders, but those really were the highlights of the game.
(Andrew Luck)
Unfortunately, the game was pretty awful. The Niners got a ton of (undeserved, in my opinion) penalties, only scored 7 points (all in the first quarter), and didn't have much in the way of defense, either. They lost, 7-27 to Luck and the Colts. In fact, the Oakland As, who played a baseball game the same afternoon at the nearby Oakland Coliseum, actually scored more points (11) in their win vs. the Twins than the Niners have scored in their last two games (10). If I liked baseball, we may have had a better time there.
Oh well.
We then had to collect the doggie from Serena's and drive the 5+ hours "home" to Arcata, which made for a long day!
We then had to collect the doggie from Serena's and drive the 5+ hours "home" to Arcata, which made for a long day!
Kelvin asked me last week, "Do you want to try to go to a Redskins game in D.C.?" (when we're there over Thanksgiving). "No,"I replied. "I can watch them lose for free from my own living room!" Disappointed in the Niners, I can also watch them lose for free from home. I may wear my (free) VISA Signature cap we got at the park, though!
Jb had a kid drop a hot dog on him once. The dad bought him a new shirt at the gift shop!
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