Ballpark Entertainment

We visited the Reds' Hall of Fame next to the ballpark and saw a lot of Pete Rose memorabilia. Though he is beloved in Cincinnati, he continues to be persona non grata on the baseball field. His presence was noticeably absent during the 2008 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies where Cesar Geronimo, Barry Larkin, Joey Jay and August Herrman were honored. We did see cheerleaders, teeshirt shooters and the Reds' mascot, Mr Redlegs. The Mets lost to the Reds in both games that we attended.

Chili Dog at the Park

They have a thing for chili in Cincinnati. At the Great America Ballpark you can sample a chili dog made with hotdog, chili and a huge pile of cheese on a bun. I was totally mesmerized but ended up eating a pizza instead.

Tailgate

Kebab tailgate at the Mac yesterday. We had about 50 friends having a great time. Chef as usual was El Diablo.

Growing a Pie

At Mission Pie, yesterday afternoon. The list behind the boy says, "Harvest strawberries, ollalie berries; chicken coop, eggs; plant; goat fencing; wheat; pie bake." This seems to be a list of summer activities planned for kids living in San Francisco's Mission District. The pies baked here were made with ingredients grown, raised and harvested by urban youth who go to a farm near Half Moon Bay and learn how to be farmers. I tried the mixed berry pie made with strawberries and ollalie berries and it was delicious!

Fire Blooms

Enjoyed a beautiful fireworks night at the Mac after watching the A's defeat the Angels 9-2.

July 4

A tiny parade on our street today! I don't know most of the people who turned out but enjoyed the festivities that included balloons, dogs and children dressed in costume, free hotdogs, lemonade, chips & dessert and the reading of the proclamation of independence.