Three ballparks in four days: Best bang for your ballpark buck

Angel Stadium June 19, 2013
Parking $10/$20
I grew up going to Angels games. In 1992, I had the great pleasure of getting to be the "Honorary Bat Girl" during which time I met some Angels greats. It was Tim Salmon's rookie year. I remember seeing JT Snow walk out of the clubhouse and feeling excitement as I reached to shake his hand. I also fondly remember meeting Rod Carew and cheerfully announcing that my family and I had seen him hit his 3,000th hit in that very ballpark. Obviously, I have a special place in my heart for Angel Stadium. I always will.

Now, 21 years later, I entered Angel Stadium for the first time all over again. I rode with friends who had offered to take me to an Angels game, which I happily accepted. I took it all in with fresh eyes. The ballpark had changed some, inside and out, but it still filled me with great memories from my childhood. The first thing I noticed was the great price for parking. Angel Stadium has a huge parking lot adjacent to the ballpark. Even the less expensive parking requires not much more than a short walk, as long as you arrive early. (Or if it happens to be a day with low attendance.) Even a longer walk, if necessary, would be completely reasonable. Access from the parking lot to the park is a breeze.

We sat along the first base line and enjoyed the game between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Seattle Mariners. Players from both teams interacted nicely with the nearby crowd. Fans cheered. Children soaked in all of the greatness of America's pasttime. Food was reasonably close, as well as fan gear shops. The prices for food fell within what you might expect at a baseball game. Drinks, especially beer, was considerably more expensive, as seems to be the case at ballparks and arenas. The average price for a beer is about $10. Some of the souvenirs seemed priced better than others. T-shirts and hats tended to have higher price tags, and the women's wear in particular seemed a bit steep. However, souvenir mini bats ranged in price from $4.70 to about $7 and they would fit perfectly into my suitcase. I picked up one for each of my two children who I knew would appreciate them.

The game was fantastic and enjoying the company of friends is something I will look back on fondly for years to come. Overall, I had a great experience and would go back to Angel Stadium in heartbeat, not just for the sake of nostalgia, but because the experience now as an adult was a good one.

AT&T Park June 21, 2013
Parking $35

Please note: Last September I parked in AT&T parking for $30, but it was an extension of Lot C where we could not even see the ballpark from our car. This $35 parking seemed like a bargain compared to that simply because we felt considerably closer to the park.



We ended up with a parking place within an enclosure, a building right on the Bay. We walked from our car to the ballpark, passing by Barry Bonds Junior Giants Field, a place where CD once ran the bases when we visited on an off day. He was not-quite-four at the time. I reminded him of this and told him I have a picture I can show him. He found that exciting. We walked among a crowd of Giants fans, taking it all in. The walk was a bit long for my three-year-old but her excitement and enthusiasm helped carry her along. CD looked out at people in kayaks and said, "Hey mom! It's McCovey Cove!"

We approached the park, and yet, once we got through the gate, we still had quite a walk ahead. We navigated through the ballpark all the way around until we reached the left field side. Then we began our ascent to the view reserve area. Food at AT&T Park runs a bit pricier, particularly if you would like to go with some of the specialty foods. Thankfully, you can get a hotdog for $5. We made it work within our budget. Beer runs $10 or higher. For the kids and me, though, a single bottle of water met our needs. A bottle of water costs $5.

The great thing about AT&T Park is that there really isn't a bad seat in the place. View Reserve meant we could see all of the action on the field, check out the goings-on in McCovey Cove, and watch the sunset. We sat with great fans who encouraged my two small children to be the best cheerleaders they could. We belted out "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and we generally skipped souvenirs, but splurged on cotton candy ($6.75). However, on the way out, we stopped and got a Giants World Series decal for $2. If you hit the right stand, you will find little souvenirs in the $1-5 range, perfect! We ended our AT&T Park experience making the long trek back to the car. The park is lit up beautifully at night which makes for amazing pictures and security is out in full force which helps with any safety concerns you may have.

Stockton Ballpark
Parking $10/$15
Premium parking costs a little more, but general parking runs just $10 which may seem a little steep for a minor league game, but when you're going to see the Stockton Ports take on the San Jose Giants and you know you're going to see Pablo Sandoval play, it softens the blow some. Further softening the blow, of course, is knowing what to expect. We have traveled to this area of Stockton in the past and event parking runs $10 off-site. The City of Stockton is broke which may account some for the price. Still, the price is fairly reasonable and the walk from where we parked to the ballpark was simple, safe, and short. The majority of the walk actually took us through the general parking lot attached to the ballpark itself.


Our tickets waited at Will Call for us and the process for collecting them was simple. We then went almost immediately into the ballpark. This game sold out and despite the fact that it took place at the home of the Stockton Ports, the ballpark filled with orange and black as Giants fans came out in full force, most to support the third baseman loving called "Kung Fu Panda."

Food prices ranged in a much more affordable range and even beer ran for about half the price of a major league ballpark. Lines got long, but moved nicely. A special hit for CD was the kids meal which included a hot dog, chips, and a drink in a fun box. I loved it because it cost just $6! Tired of hot dogs, I ventured out and tried something new: chili cheese fries. They were delicious and they hit the spot! They also ran a reasonable $7 which hit the spot for my wallet. We did not venture into the souvenir shop as CD got a very special souvenir. A family down the row from us caught a ball thrown our direction by "Panda" and they had already picked up a Stockton Ports souvenir ball. So, the family gave CD their souvenir ball after they seemed quite impressed by his die-hard Giants cheers! This made CD's night almost as much as seeing his favorite Giant. Being surrounded by good Giants fans certainly helped make the evening more special.

Our overall experience was extremely positive. Having been to both John Thurman Field in Modesto (where the Modesto Nuts play) and the Stockton Ballpark, price-wise they are comparable, but they each provide different experiences. Still, this has to rank among one of my greatest ballpark experiences of all time.

In Summary
So, how do they all rank? This is where things have to flush out in a world of relativity.

Best parking: Angel Stadium
Best parking (for price): Angel Stadium
Best viewing experience: AT&T Park
Best food (for price): Stockton Ballpark
Best fans: AT&T Park
Best bang for your buck: Stockton Ballpark

If you just want to go watch a baseball game for the sake of watching a baseball game, I strongly suggest attending a minor league game. You get a great experience for a great price. Our tickets cost just $8 each and were right on the third base line. Our parking cost $10 and we spent about $20 on food. We have had similarly good experiences in Modesto. So, my first recommendation is to check into the Stockton or Modesto games, if local, or your own area's minor league team if elsewhere. The Central Valley has at least four teams from Fresno to Sacramento. If you want to have the MLB experience, save up and invest in a trip to AT&T Park. The experience is amazing! The fans are welcoming. The food is delicious. You may consider your parking a worthwhile investment, arrive early, and tailgate as many people do. (A review on the AT&T Park tailgate experience will come at the end of July.) If you find yourself in Southern California, pay a visit to Angel Stadium. Buy some tickets in the cheap seats (there are plenty of seats available right now, it seems), pay the $10 and park in general parking, skip the beer, skip the souvenirs, and just enjoy the game.

Center Stage Conservatory: Nickel and Dimed

The month of June brought "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America" to the Center Stage Conservatory Lower Level Studio. the show ran June 7-23 with shows on Friday and Saturday nights as well as Sunday afternoons.

The play, based on the novel by Barbara Eherenreich, follows a woman on her journeys through life among the working poor. the woman, the novel's author, sets out on these journeys to see what life is really like for those working jobs such as store clerks, waitresses, and housecleaners.

Carin Heidelbach portrays Barbara realistcally and brings these journeys to life in an incredibly engaging manner. Even when other actresses purposely break the fourth wall, the audience can see her as Barbara. Her portrayal is raw and accurate.

The supporting cast assists in this realism. The set, too, brings a real feel to the stories. the set is simple, with walls covered in newspaper advertisements and handmade signs to represent the places where Barbara works. wood boxes are used to create the rest of each set for each of the businesses. they are rearranged for each scene. A boy with a sign marks each scene change as another boy plays the saxophone. Scene changes continue the feel of the play through all three acts.

Barbara begins as a waitress in Key West, Florida where she earns $2.15 per hour, plus tips. She finds that she must take on a second job in order to make her rent of $600 per month. Eventually, she leaves both jobs and flees the area so close to her real home. She heads to Maine where she struggles working as a housecleaner among a group of women working for a franchise of a major corporation. Ultimately, Barbara speaks her mind to the point that she not only walks away from her job, but loses the companionship of her fellow housecleaners in the process.

The final act takes us to Minnesota where Barbara takes a job at a corporate "big box store" carefully portrayed in the play as "Mal Mart." There she makes $7 per hour. She struggles to find housing, but finds a friend in a fellow Mal Mart employee.

All of the journeys teach something about life among the working poor. Personal relationships were a huge part. Struggling to make ends meet affected all of the families, even those where a spouse worked a "good" job. The play gets across a very real look at life among the working poor and alternates between making the audience roll with laughter and cry.

The supporting cast all put on amazing performances, but two actors especially stood out. Elda M. Coleman (who did an outstanding job earlier this year in the same theatre's production of "The Vagina Monologues") did an especially good job as the seasoned waitress who guided Barbara through her first low-paying job. Kyle Duval portrayed four very different characters and it was difficult to see that the same actor portrayed each of the characters. His portrayal of "George," an Eastern European immigrant, required minimal talking but superb acting. In stark contrast, he also brought to life the character of Ted who ran the franchise of the corporate cleaning business where Barbara worked in Maine. Ted had a great deal to say with a sort of cockiness that was necessary to show the difference between franchise owner and franchise employee.

Center Stage Conservatory puts on more unique shows and does its part to support the arts in the Modesto area. Their youth program helps promote arts education among area youth. They take their mission beyond the arts, though, as well. For example, their production of "The Vagina Monologues" benefited Haven Women's Center in Modesto. Upcoming productions include "Seven Day Play Festival" August 16-18, "References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot" September 6-22, and "The Mystery of Irma Vep" October 18-November 3. For more information on the Center Stage Conservatory, visit their website at centerstagemodesto.com.

Treating ourselves in San Francisco and staying on a budget

The children and I received Giants tickets from Santa. These tickets have waited and waited in the drawer and finally nearly six months after Christmas, the time arrived to use them. We were all three excited. The tickets were for a Friday night game. Taking a six-year-old and a three-year-old to a major league ballpark may seem daunting, but I am...SUPER MOM! Ok, so maybe that takes things a bit far. However, I hatched a plan that succeeded on multiple levels.

One, we had to arrive early because parking at AT&T Park was a must
Two, I booked a hotel room for that night knowing it was the safe thing to do. Driving home tired was not an option. To save on the room, I found DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Francisco Airport. In traffic, it was a 30 minute drive to the park. Without traffic, it took 20 minutes. The savings was worth it and the drive was easy.
Three, I called it...VACATION!

AT&T Park Experience
We arrived early enough to park near the ballpark. The tailgaters and all-day types arrived super early and got the best parking, but our parking was enclosed and the walk was nice. The kids and I had fun. I consider it a $35 investment. We were safer, we had fun, and the car was in a good spot. Excellent! We will do this again. (It would have cost that for the three of us to take public transportation, by the way.) In fact, CD and I will attempt our own tailgate picnic at the next game we attend.

The long walk from downstairs on the right field side to the view reserve on the left field side took some time and patience. Going to our seats, I found that I had to occasionally pick up Miss Hollywood to give her a little rest and to help navigate through the crowds, but we made it. In fact, we made it with smiles on our faces! So, we lined up for food. Three hotdogs, one page of peanuts, and a bottle of water. A $25 dinner that actually worked out pretty well. If you want garlic fries, beer, and all those sorts of things, obviously you need to be prepared to pay a lot more than $25. We later added a cotton candy that the kids split. $6.75

Overall, our AT&T Park experience was incredibly good! Giants fans are the best! They were patient and understanding with my two small children. Some even engaged them and encouraged them in all of their "FANtastic behavior" (quoting from Candlestick Park). We left after the seventh inning which allowed us some calm time to walk together. That, of course, allowed me to take some photographs.



DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Francisco Airport

First, let me again say that I chose this hotel because hotels near the airport ran better price-wise and price was a factor. The kids and I went there first (crossing the San Mateo Bridge was such a relief compared to dealing with the game day Bay Bridge traffic) to check in, get settled, and change into our clothes for the game. As we checked in, we each received a cookie, a warm chocolate chip cookie. When I saw that DoubleTree offers a cookie upon check-in, I envisioned one cookie sitting on our bed or dresser. Instead, we each received a warm one at the check-in counter. That scored major points for me immediately. We were offered help bringing in our things, but since the kids had rolling suitcases, I declined. I paid a lower price for parking because I included it with my room reservation. our room key worked to get us in and out of the parking lot with ease.
When we returned to the hotel after the game, the restaurant had closed, but the bar remained open. I ordered two hot chocolates and a glass of wine. The bartender made the hot chocolates for the kids and poured my wine that they had ON TAP! This glass of Cabernet was one of the best I have ever tasted. When Miss Hollywood dropped her hot chocolate in the elevator, she reached a point of devastation. We went back downstairs to inform the night clerk. He located someone to help with clean-up. In the meantime, the bartender who had previously helped us walked by and saw a sweet boy comforting his very sad sister. When he learned about the spilled hot chocolate, he went straight back to the bar to make her a fresh one at no charge. He brightened that little girl's night. We finally settled in back in our room. A calm fell over the three of us and we snuggled into our King sized bed for the night. We were comfortable, we were content, we were happy. We were on vacation.
The next morning we tried the restaurant for breakfast. our waitress went over and above any expectations. We felt as if we were enjoying a fancy breakfast, with orange juice in nice tall glasses and cloth napkins. She guided me through the menu to make our breakfast as good and price efficient as possible. Needless to say, she got a great tip.
As we checked out, I thanked the clerk for the amazing service we received. Upon hearing this, she handed me four more warm chocolate chip cookies for our drive back. I filled out a comment card for the room and the restaurant and now I give this hotel two thumbs up! If you ever find yourself needing a place to stay in San Francisco and you won't mind having to drive into the City to do things, this is the place to stay! Every single person was helpful, pleasant, and worked to make our stay amazing!

And, finally...thank you Santa for the Giants tickets! (Just a side tip, I hear "he" got them on sale for $11.50 each just before Christmas. Watch those pre-season sales that start around Black Friday. Sign up at mlb.com to stay in the loop.) Another tip, sign up for the HHonors program with Hilton hotels. You earn points for everything while you stay at one of their hotels.