Rose Garden (Portland Trailblazers)

We are Portland Trailblazers fan and we couldn't just resist driving up to Portland for almost 4 hours to watch their games. We don't really spend a lot everytime we go there, we just make sure we prepared the basic things that we usually need for a trip and it saves us a lot of money, which makes the trip carefree and easy. 

First, we buy a cheap ticket with a good seat. Stubhub is just the best site for this, you can buy good seats for tickets as low as 15 dollars. 

Secondly, we rent a car. My husband just does not want to waste miles on his, so we find also good deals for car rental. Tip, look for discounts and ads carried by your credit cards. 

Next, is the hotel, usually we book the hotel in advance it is usually cheaper that way. We really don't need a fancy one, but we do choose a hotel next to the Rose Garden so we can just walk to the game, and does not have to pay for a parking fee. 

Then, when we get there, we eat before we watch the game. Why? Simply because the prices of the food inside the stadium is skyrocketing. We eat a good meal before the game to keep us from buying unnecessary food in the stadium, so we end up just getting a drink for 6 dollars and we make sure to last it through the whole game.  

Lastly, we make sure to have fun, I mean we drove for 4 hours and all those driving for nothing? Actually, my husband said that the Rose Garden is the best stadium he had ever been to, because of how loud the people are and they get involve in the game. And truly, every game we've been to, was really loud and heart pounding, the people help you get into the game like you're playing with the team. You feel every player's shots, and every defense, every turnovers, and every rebounds, especially every Win. Game nights are just remarkable especially when spent with people you love.

So any idea for date nights? How about a game night?

Sleepless in Seattle (Aug. 2010)

Why the title?

Okay, I really haven't seen the movie yet, but I was really sleepless for the whole trip. Eversince gradeschool, I have this book about all the famous landmarks in the world, and among anything else, the Space Needle left a mark, from the revolving restaurant, to the view of the city from its deck,  it became a dream that someday I would really want to see.

We traveled from Medford OR starting 6:30 PM and arrived at Tacoma, WA (where our hotel was) at around 3 AM. We decided to stay there because the hotel prices in the outskirts of Seattle are way much cheaper than the hotels in Seattle itself. 

I just can't wait to see the Space Needle with my own eyes, so at 7 am after a restless sleep of toss and turns, I decided to get up, took a shower and got ready and I even have to force my husband out of bed.

We started the 30 minute drive from Tacoma to Seattle and it was a mess. The traffic was really congested even with 12 lanes. There were also reckless drivers who doesn't turn their signal when getting over, and the weather was also a little bit foggy. While driving in the freeway, I was holding my breath to see the Space Needle among the towering buildings across the bay. It wasn't the tallest structure but it was exquisitely unique.

We decided to stop in Walgreens to get some cheap tights that would make me feel warmer, (because I'm wearing a skirt) and also because we also forgot out toiletry bags with our toothbrushes, toothpaste, and you name them. From Walgreens we already saw the Space Needle towering over the structures, while I was looking at it I fulfilled one of my "Someday Dreams", you know those kind of dreams that you thought would never happen. My heart was pounding looking at the structure, and realized that not having enough sleep is all worth it.

We bought a ticket for 24 dollars each to get inside the deck. It will give you two entrance pass to Space Needle, one in the morning and one at night. We didn't know that if you eat in the restaurant you'll get it for free "Duh", though it was quite a view. We also walked to the Public Market, where you can see different kinds of things, starting from fresh seafood to flowers, and different merchandise like clothing, paintings, etc. There are also small cafes around it that caters to the different tourist, seafood pubs, French bakeries, cheese islands, and Chinese bistros. I also saw a small Filipino Carenderia with various kinds of Filipino food, just like the one in the Philippines.

Along the bay area we found the Famous Crabfest restaurant, they serve seafood in a big bowl and you can eat it with just your hands. We were quite on a budget so we just ordered the basic one, and we didn't expect that there were no crab legs for that, that's why it was the cheapest, anyhow we did enjoy the shrimp and the scallops which were really fresh and so as the sweet corn.

It was really something new but my husband wasn't that impressed with the place, but I am. I like the view of the city along the bay and so as the fresh seafood. Honestly, I thought that Space Needle would be something more, but after the views, it all brings down to just a unique structure that is famous because of it's history. I suggest if ever you go there, to really go to the restaurant, have some good food and a good view of the city, and yeah we just failed to do that, but overall it was a break for me after 11 straight days of  work.