Text 23109, 74 rader
Skriven 2009-04-09 10:38:08 av Michael Loo (1:18/200.0)
Ärende: trip 460
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Next day I couldn't find anyone to go to the game with me,
so I took the bus and the light rail (a pretty snazzy train,
but a pity there's only one line) to Phoenix Municipal
Stadium, where I saw the Royals get whupped by the Athletics
7-2. Alex called me an hour into the game; it was already the
middle of the 4th, 2-0 Oakland. He said he might be able to
make it by 7th inning stretch. Shortly thereafter, they put
it away with a big inning capped by a 3-run triple by Travis
Buck. Nonetheless, Alex didn't get there until the end of the
7th (by this time, though, the parking attendants had quit
charging, the ticket sellers weren't selling, and the ticket
takers didn't care). Attendance a pathetic 3183. Beer a
pathetic selection. I tasted the Pyramid apricot ale but
wasn't thrilled, so I went to the VFW booth, where Kona
Longboard was being offered, by far the best thing at the
stadium.

Stopped off at Four Peaks for a pitcher of Hop Knot, sided
with beer-battered bacon and pretzels. I have a photo that
Alex took of the bacon, which doubters may request. The
stuff was more batter than bacon - the pigmeat had been
blanched beforehand and was not so fatty nor so smoky nor
salty as it was expected to be. I discover that pretzels
are okay if you scrape the salt off the outside.

For dinner: we swung by the grocery at the Chinese
Cultural Center, where I picked up an assortment of
shellfish. We had steamed ark shells and gambas al ajillo
with an appetizer of fried shrimp shells; with this the
Barefoot Pinot Gris, aka one of the best $5 wines around,
went nicely. Apricot and apple, bright, a little sweet on
the finish. After which Alex grilled USDA Prime ribeyes from
Costco I think, with which the Justin Justification 06,
aka one of the best $40 wines around, went well. I asked
for my steak to be put on the grill partially frozen, so
it came out perfectly blue rare but seared outside. Most
enjoyable. The wine: black fruits, earthy, a slight herbal
quality. Mostly Cab Franc. As good as Isosceles, I think,
but perhaps a little cheaper.

Sesame mochi from the Soft Indicator Food Co. (Taipei) were
somewhat stiff and stale, and the peanut filling was very
stiff and stale.

We finished with the rest of the Inniskillin, which had lost
some of its effervescence and some of its depth but was
still impressive.

Next day: took the 70 bus to the rental car facility and the
shuttle from there, easy as 3.14159. It must have been quite a
good fly day, as the customer service counter had nothing to do.
The people there seemed relieved to have a customer and were
kind of tickled when I asked where the best place to eat was
- one of the agents steered me to the "high A" pier, where
there was a better assortment of fast food than at the "low
A" pier, where, she informed me (looking at me) that all
there was was American food. I trucked on over to high A
and had a machaca burrito at Blue Burrito. It was actually
pretty decent, the pot-roast meat quite flavorful and
oniony, the burrito fixings fresh. A cup of quite spicy
salsa on the side. Oh, yes, the cheese refused to melt -
later I found from the Website that it's lowfat. 

Got to the low-A club in time to ascertain that the drink
special was a $5 Mimosa made with J. Roget. Boulder Canyon
chips, lots of cookies (I had a chocolate one), salty
crunchy junk. US Air no longer blocks the airport wi-fi,
which is free, and which it used to do so as to be able to
sell its own inferior product, which is now also free.

___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30

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