SeriesFinale

It's definitely not the Bahamas or Hawaii It is, however, warmer than St. Paul!

I'm debating the SD trip...I'll be flying out to Wisconsin a couple weeks after that, and have a couple other weddings/family events I need to attend in Chicago and Florida in the fall, so I've gotta save my bones. But if I can get a cheap last minute deal, I'll be there.

Haha, I admire your ganas [/Jaime Escalanate], but I'm not sure I'd want to drop the bones for the Dodgers exhibition to hang around and hope I don't get the boot. I'll be getting my fill this week at any rate, I think. You'll probably be able to watch through the back fence at the least--maybe catch a jack back there. Have fun. I'm pretty psyched knowing the fellas are now in town and there'll be some ball in just about 60 hours.

Man, seems like we need a Bay Area Brewerfan meet-up...Russian River up in Santa Rosa would work for me! And yeah, Toronado/Rosamunde is a great late afternoon spent. Zeitgeist is another great beer bar in town if you'll be near the Mission, although that might be raw-dogging it on your honeymoon!

One day-long activity you should consider is one morning taking the N to the Carl and Cole stop, getting out and walking north two blocks to Haight, where you can check out Haight-Ashbury for a while (it can be both touristy and seedy at the same time in parts, but there are a lot of pretty cool spots there--Amoeba Records, the Red Vic, etc--and good places to get a bite or a drink--Magnolia Brewing, etc--and it's a small slice of SF and cultural history), and then walk across Stanyan into Golden Gate Park and walk all the way through it sloping down to the Pacific (about 3 miles), stopping at any of the spots you'd like to check out along the way: the Conservatory of Flowers, the deYoung, the California Academy of Sciences (just renovated and really cool), the Japanese Tea Garden, the Arboretum, the Shakespeare Garden, Strawberry Hill/Stow Lake and the waterfalls, the bison paddock, the windmill/tulip gardens, ending for a glass of microbrew/wine or two at the Park Chalet looking out at the ocean or out on the back green where they have big Adirondack chairs and bands playing on weekend afternoons. From there you can walk down to Judah and take the N back downtown (maybe after catching the sun setting on the continent!). Just a thought--I live right across from the park and spend a lot of time there--an under-rated part of SF, I think.

That was my vote, too, valpo

40% chance of rain on Tuesday.

I, too, am interested Anyone know who the magnet star is this year? Last year Prince broke what seemed to be a "magnet curse"

I am 99% certain that t-shirt was tongue-in-cheek Hilarious either way.

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but I'll be at the season opener on Tuesday, and my plan is to get up early, go for a run, put on my new barley-shaft cap, my Red Jacket AA Brewers' t-shirt (over a long-sleeve, of course, it's gonna be chilly), and my old-school Starter's Jacket, and go get a light breakfast with my wife, and then we're meeting some Giants season ticket-holder friends at Acme Chophouse, the pretty darn good steakhouse in AT&T Park, where they keep a table all year, for an early lunch at 10:30 AM PST. A Niman Ranch burger, a bottle of vino, and then picking up a Miller Lite (normally not a huge fan, but you gotta rep any way you can on the road), and then we're off to our seats for intros, and away we go. On Friday, I'll be taking the afternoon off and decamping in front of the tube with some Leinie's products (that's the best I can do out here) and some venison jerky my Step-Dad in Vernon County sent me.

It looks like Manatee threw their entire roster out there ("I played against a MLB team!!!") and that the Pirates did sit almost all their regulars--doesn't look like it was meant to be particulalrly competitive for either squad. Worthless trivia: I took classes at MCC after transfering out of Florida State before going to Beloit College. They always had a pretty good baseball team, FWIW

Beach Blanket Babylon is still playing and probably always will...that's an "only in San Francisco" kinda show and a lot of fun (Teatro ZinZanni's good, too, but pricier). It's non-union, so I'm not the biggest fan, but it is pretty cool, with all the costumes and timely songs and stuff. As far as Wine Country goes, I second (third?) Sonoma. Some of my favorite wineries/tasting rooms in the south county (near the town of Sonoma) there: Buena Vista Gundlach Bundschu Larson Family

I guess I'm one of those people who think Sausalito's kinda over-rated...you can get much the same effect going to Door County or Lake Geneva...lots of "galleries" and boutique-y shops. There is something to be said for the views though, but you can get those if you take a bay cruise or even the ferry to Alcatraz (which is "touristy" in that there are a lot of tourists, obviously, but pretty fascinating). A trip to Alcatraz can also cross the Wharf off your list, since most ferries depart from down that way. Otherwise I wouldn't invest too much time there, really kinda touristy stuff you can see at Navy Pier in Chicago or the Dells, for instance. But again, the views....(and In-n-Out Burger is there!) Anyway, I'd agree that you should get a car for just a day or two to go up to Wine Country (which you should do) and check out the views in Marin or from Twin Peaks, otherwise, you'll be able to get around town easily (sometimes much more easily) without it. Buy a $24 wekly visitor pass from Muni; besides the buses and metro trains and streetcars, you're also be able to get on the cable cars with it, which charges $5 per ride otherwise. I'd just also keep in mind that like I Heart Brewers said, January's rainy season. It's not like monsoon conditions--the wet is usually pretty mild and doesn't last for weeks or even days on end--but I'd make sure you have a few indoor plans and be flexible. Enjoy the train trip...it's really beautiful through the mountains, I've been told. My in-laws came out via that way last December.

I had actually never heard that last part, but now I won't be able to stop thinking about it. Happy Birthday Brewers!

I believe they stayed at the Hotel Nikko two years ago at least...but I'm only basing that on the fact that I was walking through that area during lunchtime on the day they were supposed to arrive in town, and there was a pack of guys out in front there wearing brand-new Brewers gear, holding pens and cards and memorabilia presumably to be signed. I didn't stick around long enough to see if the team actually showed up there however.

It'll likely take you longer to get back to Sonoma if you ferry...but if you decide to drive, I'd make sure you have a parking pass before you come down Have fun

So many jokes to be made here...

JWill posted it in the transactions thread, but Casey made the team over Lamb: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/42228547.html

I've still got my Sheets bobble up here at work (along with the Fielder-Weeks-Hall-Hardy nesting dolls, a Gorman Thomas bobble and then a few '82 mini-bobbles...plus a County Stadium brick, a Bernie's Chalet bank and some other collectibles)...I'm going to take it down as soon as he signs with another team, hopefully replacing it with Braun's bobble.

The other thing about the ferry is, if you're visiting Northern California as a tourist, it's a pleasant experience in and of itself...whether you're coming from Sausalito or Oakland, you'll get great views on the bay as you head in, and the Ferry Building where you'll land is a nice collection of higher-end food shops and restaurants (plus, they have a pretty good farmer's market there on Saturdays, a smaller version of which they have on Wednesdays, when you'll be there). From there it's a pleasant fifteen-minute walk (or so) south/east along the Embarcadero under the Bay Bridge and past some of the piers to AT&T. Edit: my bad, that weekday Farmer's Market is on Tuesdays. Regardless, there's plenty to eat right by there.

Parking isn't as easy as it is at MP, but there is a sizable lot south of the park. Where are you coming from? If you're up in Marin, the ferry probably would be easier for you...I've got a friend from Sonoma who's coming down and using it. We have a thread going somewhere here about AT&T...glad to see we'll have a lot of fans here next week. Edit: Here's the thread: http://forum.brewerfan.net/search.php?keywords=505329#reply-505329

He was released today, Koyie Hill will get the backup gig for the Cubs. Gotta think this is the end of the line for him.

I wish all businesses that have multiple registers would just use the one-line approach, like, say, Wendy's or whatever, but the point-of-sale impulses purchases are probably too high for Target or grocery stores to ever consider it.

I hear you, but anyone who's spent an August in Florida can attest to the necessity of a retractable there

No, they play Wednesday night and have a weird 4 PM PST start time on Thursday I guess this also means Yo doesn't pitch against the Cubs during the home opening series?