Mik's Food Scrapbook: Loaded Tots at Nationals Park

While Mik didn't so much enjoy watching his Dbacks lose to the Nats yesterday, he did enjoy the new loaded tots. He tried the BBQ pulled pork ones, which also has mac and cheese on them. I had the crab ones, which were also tasty, but they didn't really seem loaded as the amount of topping to tot ratio is heavy on the tots.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals - September 29, 2016

Watching the Dbacks at Nats in the rain sure makes us miss when the annual tradition was seeing the Nats at Dbacks at the BOB. At least it didn't get rained out.

Mik's Food Scrapbook: Virginia Country Kitchen at Nationals Park

Date of Visit: June 14, 2016

Mik tried out the Virginia Ham Biscuit from the Virginia Country Kitchen concession stand this game. He didn't really like the ham because it was too sweet for his liking. He thought the biscuit was okay. The chips were his favorite part and actually very good in his opinion.

Accessibility Review: Nationals Park Section 320

Date of Visit: June 14, 2016

Ever since Dad's been working at the Capitol, we've mostly picked the games to go to based on when they do group tickets. This time Dad noticed that the Cubs were in town and the Tuesday game was $1 ice cream, so he asked me if I wanted to go on Sunday when they were doing group tickets or go on our own Tuesday. Since Mik was interested and a night game was more appealing to me summer weather wise, we got tickets for Tuesday.

First thing Mik really liked about going to the game was that we now live in walking distance of Nationals Park and don't have to deal with the crowded Metro (or potential delays...).

Mik thought the view from section 320 was great because you could see the whole field easily. However, he did not like that it was in the sun until about an hour into the game. Next time he wants to get seats on the 300 level on the third base side.

Nationals Park: Star Wars Day

Mik had been wanting the R2D2 can cooler since he saw about the promotion, but neither of us wanted to do a Sunday afternoon game in the summer. Dad and I did end up going, though, but I didn't even realize it was the Star Wars Day game when he asked if I wanted to go to the game that day because his work was doing group tickets again. With the upper 90s feels like 105 to 110 heat advisory, I seriously thought we'd just get the can coolers and not stay long, but it ended up not being too bad up in the shade in 416. And it wasn't too bad of a game until the top of the 9th.

Mik's Food Scrapbook: Throwin' Cheese at Nationals Park

Mik was excited to try out the new Thrown' Cheese place at Nationals Park. He did almost give up on trying it after seeing it was the only place with a line and the line didn't really seem to move when we got in it. However, we still had at least an hour to waste before even the pregame stuff started and it was certainly better wasting time in line for food than trying to go to the Team Store on Opening Day.

The line actually wasn't that long when we got in it (probably about 10 people in front of us), but it did take at least 15 minutes to get to the front and then after ordering and paying we still had to wait at least another 10 to 15 minutes to get Mik's sandwich. They definitely aren't that efficient, yet, but they did pretty good considering it was a new venue and Opening Day. Also, it was still better than what I remember all the concessions were like on the park's first exhibition game and Opening Day in 2008.

Mik ordered the Triple Play, which is a grilled cheese made with three different cheeses. He really enjoyed it and the chips that came with it.

He also tried the mac and cheese that I ordered, which we finished while waiting for his food. He thought it was a little too salty. Also, it wasn't hot or really even warm and it's not like we waited to eat until we got to our seats.

Accessibility Review: Nationals Park Section 201

Finally planned ahead enough to get tickets on the other side of the park, although still didn't manage to be able to get Gallery Level despite trying during presale (couldn't get anything) and as soon as all Opening Day tickets went on sale. It was a toss up on whether it was the way to go as Opening Day can sometimes be on the cooler side and being on the sunny side of the park in our usual choice in Right Field Terrace can be good. However, it ended up being very nice Opening Day weather in the 70s and being on the shady side worked out good.

Mik has now declared this section as his favorite as you can see the whole field (part of right field is obstructed from Right Field Terrace) and you can also see the scoreboard easier. Still noisier speaker wise than Right Field Terrace, but not bad like when we sat on the Field Level concourse for Opening Day last year.

The cup holders were even more convenient for him in this section as they are at about his knee level rather than being almost on the ground.

The only thing that makes Right Field Terrace still preferable other than it being much cheaper is that no one can crowd around you there as that area has the wheelchair seating separated from the concourse as well as the rest of the section. Section 201 is like most other wheelchair sections in that it is at the top of the section and on the concourse. Not that big of a deal and certainly was not as crowded as Field Level, but it is kind of nice that you don't have to worry much about getting in and out of your spot the way the section is in Right Field Terrace, which is one of the reasons Mik is glad he didn't decide on his powerchair for this game (mainly was about the crowds on the Metro, though).

Accessibility Review: Nationals Park Section 230

On Monday, June 30, Mik and I went to the Rockies @ Nats game because it was Bryce Harper bobblehead day.  It was Mik's first experience taking his power chair to Nationals Park and he did great other than he really needs work on his backwards driving skills for navigating the Metro, especially the elevators, but I'm sure after a few more months of living here he'll get the hang of it.

Since we got there before they opened up the all the sections, we spent some time in the outfield concourse.  Mik enjoyed checking out the heights of the pitchers that they have on the one parking garage.  Also, we are looking forward to that area becoming a team store and hoping it ends up more spacious and thus more accessible compared to the current one.

Overall Mik liked the seats in Section 230.  Of course, any ballpark with cup holders makes him happy even though these are a little low for him to easily use himself.  The view is good other than some of deep right field is obstructed.  The main thing he didn't like is that it is in the sun and it was a somewhat hot and humid day.  However, the fact that the speakers aren't nearby and it is thus quieter than sitting in the concourse sections makes him still prefer this area over the others we have tried before.  Plus, these seats are almost the cheapest possible (actually, were the cheapest when I got around to buying tickets the day before the game).

Next time, I think I will try to get the actual cheapest over in the upper outfield gallery because those are on the shady side.  Also, maybe next time Mik will actually get around to trying some ballpark food besides the Boardwalk Fries because yet again that is what he wanted first and then the lines were crazy and it was hot, so we decided to go home rather than get anything else.

Mik's Food Scrapbook: Nats Ice and Boardwalk Fries

Since the only thing Mik has had at Nationals Park is a pretzel dog and food at the Diamond Club, he was not sure what to try this time.  I told him that I used to enjoy getting Boardwalk fries when I came to games during the park's inaugural season.  He decided to go with the fries and ended up enjoying them.  He also spotted Dippin' Dots and even though the weather was not that warm he also enjoyed some Nats Ice (similar to rainbow ice flavor, but has red, white, and blue dots).  Afterwards he was full and said he has to come to another game because he still has not had just a hot dog at Nationals Park.  Plus, there are plenty of other appealing food options here.

Mik's Mini Ballplayer Collection: Screech

Since it was Opening Day the team shop was very crowded and I did not have a chance to really look around for the mini figs, so I do not know if they had any specific player ones available or not.  What I did easily spot was the generic Washington Nationals one and Screech.  The generic one is rather boring just representing the team in general with the uniform and the number 00 on it.  The Screech one is actually kind of cool, though, as it is at least the team mascot.

Accessibility Review: Nationals Park Section 141

For Opening Day 2014 we ended up with tickets in section 141.  I would have preferred to be up a level, but certainly better than when Mom and I had seats one row from the top for the Opening Day six years ago when they opened Nationals Park.  Also, good seats considering we only finally decided to go to Opening Day versus another game while in DC this weekend and this game ended up being a sellout with the second highest Opening Day attendance for this park.

The main downsides to this section are you cannot see the scoreboard because you are under it and you cannot see plays that happen deep in the outfield in front of you.  However, they do have TV screens showing the game, which are nicely placed sideways instead of straight in front of you. Thus, they are not obstructing the view, but are still easy to look over at.

Mik was of course happy with the section because there were cup holders.  The section had a standing view are behind it, but it was nicely separated and you did not feel crowded even though the concourse was very busy and we were on the end of the row.

Overall section 141 was good, but I still like the view of the park best from the right field terrace level (sections even numbers between 222 and 236) and in particular 224. Maybe, I'm biased just from having sat there so many times when I had partial season tickets during the park's inaugural season, but I have sat in 236 and in left field mezzanine level (203 I think) and 224 remains my favorite.

Mik also said he preferred the view from 224 at least based on his remembering it from the brief few minutes we sat in 224 before getting to go to the Diamond Club on the ballpark trip.  Also, Mik found the speakers in 141 to be too loud and they really bothered him before the game when they are constantly on. I remember him having that issue a few years back at Chase Field.  Both times those were seats on the main level covered concourse area and I don't think he would have a problem with the open area upper levels like 224 is.

Kj's Baseball Collection: Curly W Spring Training 2013

I was kind of disappointed that they do not really have an unique Grapefruit League logo and the Spring Training 2013 logo is for both Arizona and Florida, but I still decided to get the baseball to for my collection.  Certainly better than the plain white ones they had with the Curly W.  The Strasburg and Harper ones were more interesting, but I am not much into collecting the player specific baseballs.

Spring Training 2013: Space Coast Stadium - Miami Marlins @ Washington Nationals

Today Dad and I went to see the Miami Marlins play the Washington Nationals at the Nationals spring training home, Space Coast Stadium.  The first stop was the Team Shop to get Dad a Nats shirt, so he did not keep wearing his Cubs shirt to the games.  Also, got some pics outside with the Casey at Bat and space shuttle statues, although the car salesman kind of made it not worth going near the Casey at Bat one.

For the game we sat in the bleachers (219).   The view of the field was good and the bleachers are not bad since they do have backs.  Dad found the $10 deal for a hot dog, fries, and souvenir cup of soda pretty good.  I was disappointed to find them have stands advertising cheese and pizza pretzel only to go up to order and find out they only had plain ones this season.  How hard is it to cover up the options no longer available?

The game itself was nothing special, as spring training usually is not.  Mik actually almost wished he was going when this morning he heard Dan Haren was starting, as he liked him when he played for the Dbacks, but he never has been into spring training ball even when the Dbacks used to play down in Tucson.  We actually only ended up staying through three innings for the order to go around once.  It just was not much fun sitting in the hot sun (they have pretty much no shaded seating in the whole ballpark) and no reason to stay when we gave up scoring spring training games years ago since it gets annoying with all the lineup changes.

Overall fun to see the Nats play some baseball and looking forward to them playing at the Braves Friday, but still anxiously awaiting some real baseball come April and seeing if they can be good again.

Mik's Mini Ballplayer Collection: Stephen Strasburg 2012 All Star Edition

When I was shopping online for Nats 2012 NL East Division Champs gear with my birthday money, I could not resist also getting Mik a Nationals figure for his mini ballplayer collection.  I gave him the options and he decided on the 2012 All Star Edition Stephen Strasburg one.  Mik still likes to trash talk my Nats despite them having an awesome season this year, but all along he has been a Strasburg fan and actually he has a general tendency to like certain pitchers from non-Dbacks teams. 

Seeing Strasburg Pitch in Nats @ Dbacks Game - August 10, 2012

All year we have been wanting to see a Washington Nationals game with Strasburg pitching.  Earlier this year at the last minute we tried to catch a game in Atlanta on the way to seeing the new Miami ballpark, but by the time we knew the day Strasburg was pitching there were no handicap tickets available to purchase.  Since then Mik and I were desperately hoping he would pitch one of the three games the Nats were at the Dbacks this season.  Mik was really hoping for the bobblehead Saturday game, but finally on Thursday it was confirmed that Strasburg was the pitcher for the Friday game (it was not official, but we unofficially were sure for about a week just by guessing the rotation stayed the same).


Usually we do not like sitting close to the action because for one it is expensive, but it is also hard to see the whole field and all the action.  However, this time we were mainly going to see a pitcher, so we decided to try and sit in the section that is right next to the visitors dugout.  We sat here right by 1st base years ago when we bought tickets day of game for a last minute decision to see a Cubs game.  That was actually the first time we ever got handicap seats.  Mik loved it back then, although he was too young to now remember ever sitting that close to the game.  Thus, he was not all that excited about the seating I choose because he really wanted to dine in the Arizona Baseball Club instead, as that is the best experience he remembered at Chase Field.

We ended up sitting on the other side of the visitor's dugout (Section GW), which at first I was not sure about, but it actually turned out way cooler, as we were right behind the Nationals on deck circle.  Thus, we really got to see the player's up close during the game, although during batting practice we could see nothing, but their feet viewed by looking underneath the vehicles.  Of course, it was also a great view for watching the pitching.

Getting down to the section was a little confusing with the first elevator we got to have an employee say it would get us were we wanted to go, but we actually had to go to a different one.  At least the elevator operator checked our tickets and sent us in the right direction before we went down to the wrong area.  The actual elevator requires an escort to take you to the section, as you go across the tunnels that lead to the clubhouses.  Once at the section, though, there are restrooms including a family/companion one and it appeared you could have food and drinks delivered to your seat in this area.


The game itself was pretty good in my opinion, as Strasburg pitched 6 innings and only allowed one hit, although he did walk several batters leading to the one hit allowing a run to score.  Plus, we got to see Bryce Harper.   We ended up leaving right after he did not come back out for the 7th inning, but the Nats went on to win 9 to 1.  Thus, Mik was not so happy with the end result, although he had fun and was glad we left before the Nats scored the last 4 in the 9th and the post-game fireworks.

Day 66: Mik Barely Caught in Another Nats Shirt

I got away without Mik noticing me take a photo of him in a Nats shirt yesterday. Today, though, when Dad ended up putting the other Nats shirt we got on him because he got his Dbacks shirt dirty, Mik caught me taking the photo with my phone. I still got the photo, though. He actually does not mind wearing this shirt because it basically just has Teddy on the front and the Nats logo is just a Curly W on the back, which you cannot really see when he is sitting in his wheelchair anyways. He just did not want to be photographed, but I did it anyways and am sharing the photo despite his threat to punch me in the face because I think the t-shirt is cool and he punched me anyways (not in the face, though).

Day 65: Mik Caught Wearing Nats Shirt

I took this photo yesterday with my phone and forgot to post it until I saw it while getting to the Texas one I just posted. The photo is of Mik at the campsite yesterday morning in Arlington, Texas, wearing his Nats shirt that was part of the things we received at the Nats game. As a Dback fan he was embarrassed Dad put it on him and he wanted it off right away, but I convinced him it is not that obvious of a Nats shirt and probably few in this part of the country will even think it is a baseball team t-shirt. Then this morning he did not want to change out of it until he fully woke up and remembered he was wearing a Nats shirt, so today he is wearing a Dbacks shirt. He will probably not be tricked into wearing it again , but I did get this photo catching him wearing it at least once.

Sent from my iPhone

Car Sticker Update: Washington Nationals

The sticker we choose for the car at the Nationals game is one of the rectangle ones. It says Washington Nationals on the top. It has a baseball as part of the design and has a curly W logo on the baseball.

Accessibility Review: Nationals Park

I am not sure what the parking situation is like at Nationals Park, as I have never gone to a game here any other way than taking the Metro. Since I am so familiar with going to the Nats games via the Metro this was the one game we did not even try to park near the park and just parked at one of the Park & Ride lots at the end of the Green Line. Sure getting on the Metro after the game is a little congested, but by staying on the Green Line and going away from the city after the game we avoided the biggest crowds going the other direction and the transferring at L’Enfant Plaza, which I am used to having lived on the Yellow Line, but can be annoying with a wheelchair due to the elevator configuration at L’Enfant Plaza. By the way if you have to transfer to the Yellow from the Green, especially if you need to use an elevator, do it at Archives/Navy Memorial because the platform is in the middle and not a split one like at L’Enfant.

Anyways for the most part the Metro is pretty good accessibility wise, as we have very rarely experienced people using the elevator that do not need to. Also, after the game they make sure that those that need the wheelchair turnstile get through it before those that do not need it. I was afraid it was going to take longer to get into the station because we could not use the SmartTrip express lane due to not being accessible and I did not bring my third SmartTrip card, but the wheelchair lane ends up being an even better express lane for those that truly need it. While I love the D.C. Metro it does have issues with elevators regularly, so be sure to check you check the status of the stations you are going to be at (start, end, and transfer stations) before you use it.

Getting into Nationals Park was very easy because we were there when they first opened the gates. They often only open the side gates at the Centerfield gate and each side only has one line, which leads to an entrance that is accessible. I think even the line of turnstiles they open up later has space for a wheelchair to go through between each turnstile, especially since the turnstiles can be moved since they are moved entirely out of the way by the end of the game.

Our tickets for the game were for section 224. We did not sit very long before finding out we were going to get to see the game from the Diamond Club, but we were here long enough to know what the view is like. The handicap seats in 224 are located below the upper deck seats with their own access, so you do not get people going by to get to their seats other than the relatively few in the handicap row. The view from 224 is good, as you can see the whole field. Higher in the section part of the right field is blocked from view, but from the handicap row there is very little of it blocked. The view of the scoreboard is also great from here, although you do have to look to the right and away from the action to look at it.

The elevator up to the 224 seats really is up to the seats and you have to go back down one or two levels to get to any concessions, but the elevators do not seem to be used by those that do not need them. By the way I had season tickets in the regular 224 last year and used to go by the elevators to the stairs and it really is hidden enough that people that do not even use the stairs here much less the elevators.

We ended up spending most of our time at Nationals Park sitting in the Diamond Club. Here we had a table with a behind home plate view. The tables have chairs that can be moved out of the way and Mik could easily roll up and have a good spot to use the table and view the game. The table made it possible for Mik to feed himself the whole time. Sometimes at the ballparks Dad has to feed him, since it is sometimes hard for him to hold the plate/bowl/whatever and eat what is in it at the same time. He also liked the table because he could have his iPod, PSP, and whatever other entertainment all out in front of him without having to keep asking us to switch stuff out of the bag for him.

Overall Nationals Park is a great modern ballpark in terms of accessibility and amenities. It might not have some of the unique character things that make its architecture stand out of have a lot of special statues to see, but it is very accessible as one would hope for and actually expect from a still pretty new ballpark. They do not exactly have a great team, but it is still always fun to see a game at Nationals Park and I am glad that Mik enjoyed it from the start, as he was already enjoying the view when we were in 224. Of course, I am a little biased being a Nats fan, but there is no denying that it ranks near the top if not the top in accessibility.