Events

What a day in Chicago. Since this time yesterday: Our guy Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic Party nomination for President; The Cubs have extended their winning streak making it the longest winning streak since 2001 and their best season start since 1977 (oh, yeah, and that other team is also in first place); and Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid has made the final four in Athens. These are just some of the reasons why this city rocks.

AA 1472 SFO-ORD

Since my dad lives outside San Francisco, I took him to the second park on my 30-baseball-park geas[1]. He hasn't been to a professional baseball game in years, despite working walking distance from AT&T Park. Something about preferring football. I have no idea why. So, yesterday, I dragged him kicking and screaming to see the Padres play the Giants. San Diego won 5-1, which is the sort of thing that happens when the visiting team goes through the entire lineup in the first inning. Pat Misch pitched the...

I started my 30-baseball-park geas with Kansas City, which definitely fits the model of saving the best for last. First, there's beautiful (ahem) Kauffman Stadium, on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by picturesque fields of asphalt and dandelions. My sense of foreboding, stoked by checking the previous day's standings, increased when I saw the lines outside the box-office windows: Actually, the game was kind of fun. As they went into the 9th inning, the Royals were up by 5, everyone in the park...

San Francisco

One more rule I forgot to mention: eat locally. And in KC, that means barbecue. Tonight I went to the Gates BBQ, in Independence, Mo., as reccomended by the hotel's driver, Martin. Interesting. The pit-fired meat fell right off the bone, with a crunchy outer shell from the intense heat they use. The sauce, though. Hmmm. It wasn't what I expected. I always associated KC-style ribs with a sweet-tangy, tomato-based sauce. Gates uses a tomato base but their sauce has more heat and less sweet, almost like a...

I have a little time before I go off in search of a slab of ribs to explain why I'm in Kansas City. One of my friends decries people who say "I've always wanted to [insert relatively accessible activity here]..." but who haven't actually done [activity]. For example, on more than one inauspicious first date the guy has said, "You lived in Europe? I've always wanted to go there!" Since she's dating single men who are over 30 and over the poverty line, "always wanted" is obviously not true, becuase they...