As I noted from the get-go, I didn’t know if my original list of top 5’s would survive the week, today was supposed to be an internet related post, but decided on a different subject today!

For you non-sports fans, come back over the weekend, tomorrow will be my top 5 places I’ve been to with Elisabeth (romantic huh?).  So for today, my Top 5 sporting events I have attended seemed to be a fun one to think about.  So, the rule, I had to actually attend the game to have it qualify (in other words, not just see it on TV).

Without further ado, here is the list:

Honorable Mentions: 1992 Kentridge wins State Championship in basketball (the year after I graduated). With Elisabeth, M’s Win game 114 in 2001 to tie record (later to win 116) and Yankees/Red Sox, July 5, 2008.

Five: Cubs vs. White Sox, Wrigley Field, May 18,  2007.  This set the stage for #4 a year later.  As a “build memories while we can” surprise (no worries, neither of us is dying, but you know what I mean… right?  My wife said this sounded too morbid). I surprised my Dad by giving him a trip to Chicago to take in a few stadiums together.  We were able to see Yanks/White Sox at US Cellular Field the day before and then after Wrigley’s day game we drove to Milwaukee for a night game between the Brewers and Twins.  What a day, what a three day trip.  Wrigley Field was incredible and my Dad and I had such a fun time interacting with the fans around.  Great game too as the Cubs come from behind for a 6-3 victory.

Four: Red Sox vs. Twins, Fenway Park, July 7, 2008.  Not a big Red Sox fan, nor am I a Twins fans, however, I am a HUGE baseball and baseball park fan!  The experience of Fenway Park is worthy of a top 5 by itself, but to take it in with my dad and my brother created a great family memory.  Manny Ramirez, just weeks before being traded to the Dodgers wins it with a late-game single for the 1-0 victory.

Three: Rainiers vs. ???, 2008. Don’t remember who the Tacoma Rainiers played, I do remembered we won the game, but want stands out to me about this game was that it was with my two daughters, it was a blast and we made it through all 9 innings!  Talk about a great daddy-daughter date!  A friend of mine (Brad) IM’d me early in the day stating he had a few extra tickets for a youth event he was doing that night.  Within  a few hours we were on the road where we enjoyed hot dogs, dip-n-dots and nine innings of baseball!  The girls cheered so loud with each home run!

Two: Seahawks vs. Packers, Monday Night Football 2006.  Attended this sn0w-bowl with the Heider boys and Marc Gronholz.  What a great game and how incredible that on a Monday Night Football game we had about 3-4 inches of snow fall during the game!  The Seahawks won the game 34-24!

One: Game 4, Mariners vs. Yankees, October 1995. Without question, game 4 of the Mariners and Yankees in 1995 stands out as the best sporting event I have ever attended.  When Edgar Matinez came to the plate in a 6-6 tie in the 8th the crowd of over 57,000 had already been on their collective feet for most of the game.  Though we were not listening to it, I could in my mind hear Dave Niehaus screaming “Get out the rye bread and mustard grandma, it’s grand salami time” as Edgar crushed a grand slam en route to an 11-8 Mariner victory.

I was a Youth Pastor in Roseburg, OR at the time.  Elisabeth and I had just gotten engaged three weeks prior and she had flown up (from school in SoCal) to celebrate with our family and begin the wedding planning process.  My brother had tickets to all the playoff games and when he invited me to the game it was a difficult choice to make because we had come up to Seattle to celebrate with family but needed to get back to church by Sunday morning (small town, not good for the Youth Pastor to be gone so early in his job). So, when I saw that Elisabeth was willing to have me go (gotta love that fiancee) to the game and sacrifice sleep for us to get back to Roseburg (5.5 hours south), I jumped at the opportunity.

I remember after that home run turning and yelling something at my brother and he screamed back.  To this day, I have no idea what he said and I have no idea what he said, it was just that loud!

Okay, I need to stop, because I am beginning to re-think this list and am remembering games I attended that probably should be on this list… So, have you been to some good ones?  What is your best sporting event you have attended?  Has anyone else been to any of them that I have been to?

Grace,
Brian

If you’re just joining us you’ve missed out on the first two exciting episodes of “Top 5,” but don’t fret, just page down and read the last two posts to find out my top 5 rural communities for missions and my top 5 tv shows.

Today, the task isn’t any easier, I have to decide on my top 5 restaurants.  Of course, once again, I could have made this a lot easier on myself by narrowing the subject to “Top 5 fast food joints” or “Top 5 fancy places” or something like that, but no, I made this darn-near impossible by just keeping it Top 5 Restaurants.

The way I’m choosing to do this was to look at it as if I had been outlawed and was sentenced to a year w/o going out and my sentence started after the next five nights… so where would I go?  This criteria helps me, because I would be tempted to just go out for steak each night, but instead I’m going to balance it out a little bit…

Oh, and the nice people who outlawed me are actually paying for my flights to go enjoy these places as well, so space is no issue either!  However, the location (as in city) cannot influence the choice, the restaurant is ranked for ambiance, but not for the surrounding activities in the city.

Without further ado, here is my list:

Five: Gordon Biersch, Pacific Place, Seattle, WA. This is one of my local favorite places, and because it is local it makes my top five.  Great variety on the menu, plus I have a few great memories with my wife, family and dear friends.  It served as the “birth place” for my Lead Team this year for the YMV’s as well.  My favorite dish here has been the Fettucini with Sun Dried Tomatoes, but the burger takes a very close second.  I am especially fond a certain wheat beverage they serve to people over the age of 21 as well (with lemon).

Four: In-N-Out Burger, California, Arizona and Nevada (and a specific one would be the one on Lyons Ave. in Santa Clarita).  Wow, a fast food place makes the list!  Well, it’s not any fast food place, simply the best fast food burger you can get.  I remember many a late-night burger run during college, this served as the ideal alternative to dorm food.  My favorite is a Double-Double with both regular and grilled onions, fries and a Strawberry Shake.

Three: JaK’s Grill, U-District, West Seattle and Issaquah, WA.  JaK’s has three locations in Seattle, and it probably makes the list based on food/cost/location.  Because the food is so good, because the cost is pretty reasonable and because the three locations all offer different ambiance I bring this one into my third position.  We go here once-a-year for Elisabeth’s birthday.  Though I have had a better steak (at Ruth’s Chris), this steak compares, but comes with a large salad, bread, fresh steamed vegetables and your choice of starch (all for cheaper than just a steak at Ruth’s Chris).  My favorite is the large Sirloin with baked potato (all the fixin’s on the side) and salad with ranch on the side.

Two: Marriott Breakfast Buffet, Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii. By FAR the best breakfast I have had at a restaurant, and this is saying something because I love going out for breakfast.  We love going to 67 on the waterfront and it nearly makes the list, but it is dwarfed in comparing it to the breakfast we splurged for twice on our honeymoon (and once when we were speaking at a camp in Maui).  Way too many choices, short order chefs making any egg dish you can think of and THE BEST fresh squeezed orange juice I have ever had.  I even remember the passion Iced Tea my wife gets.  My favorite is to get a bunch of fruit, a few great danishes, lots of crisp bacon, breakfast potatoes (with onions) and have the chef make me a wonderful three-egg omelet with ham, onions, peppers, cheese and tomato.

One: Casa Guadalajara, Old Town San Diego.  A San Diego must for me!  I love Old Town, but I love this restaurant even more.  This outdoor restaurant has the beautiful ambiance, great chips, great salsa and the best mexican food I have ever had.  San Diego is one of the best places to visit because the weather is so very consistent and this plays such a factor in grabbing a bite-to-eat at Casa Guadalajara!  Even if there is a line, there are women out front making and serving fresh tortillas to those waiting.  I have been able to treat a few friends to this place when on scouting trips for missions, they agree it is the best-mex they have ever had!  My favorite is the Chicken Fajitas with plenty of spice in each bite.

There are so many restaurants that are worthy of top 5, so many places I have had once that I just loved, but the second shot it ended up being not as good.  Those listed above I have been to more than once, in fact, each has had a minimum of at least three sittings, so, what about you?  Which places have you been to at least three times that make your list?  Which of mine should be bumped off because you disagree?  I want to hear your opinions!

Okay, done posting, now when is that plane coming to pick me up for my first restaurant?

Grace,
Brian

*** UPDATE ***

Totally forgot about Bojos Pizza in Idaho Springs, Colorado.  Best pizza I have ever had!  Definitely makes it around the 3 range!