it was way back on a shoot in toronto during the spring of 2006 (when the flames were playing the ducks in the playoffs) that i met her, and we bonded over our love of the sport ---also the fact that she's adorable and funky and straight up inspiring, and somehow understood my forsberg fascination (lol). she returned to nashville at the end of the job and i never thought we'd speak again... until the following season just before the flames were ejected from the playoffs, when she called out-of-the-blue to congratulate my team on a game 3 victory (documented here in a saccharinely sweet tale). *grin*
anyhow. over the course of the past three years, we've discussed this potential visit ---and it got to the point recently where i couldn't overlook how genuinely captivating her sons are, and how much i truly wanted to spend a little bit of time with her family.... oh, and as if it wouldn't be perfect to check me out some nashville and catch a game to boot...
but i know you really want to read about the arena.
the best thing about the bridgestone arena is simply that it is in the heart of the city's downtown. it's literally across the street from the honky tonks on broadway, around the corner from the grand ole opry, and it backs onto the country music hall of fame. it's a cool looking rink from the outside, and pays homage to the city's musical history with the enormous radio tower-looking spier out front. and like i mentionned about the xcel and prudential: you don't ever realize what a dump the saddledome is until you hit a venue like this: open concept concourse and beautifully finished (ie: a looong way from concrete, ducts, and dust). on the other hand: it was effin' cold in there, and the skaters took the ice through a kinda awkward 'pred-head' (pictured here above the "megatron.")
as for arena snacks (aka: mikeH's favorite part), i once again hit the jackpot. my friends didn't have any specific treat in mind as "the penultimate," though i'm told that in the club section there's some better items than there are on the public concourses. as we headed out in search of refreshments, i asked a dude in a preds jersey what he suggested. he suggested we don't eat at the bridgestone... ;) when cornered for an actual answer, however, he immediately came to "bbq nachos." for real ?! oh yeah... SO good. nachos with nacho cheese, pulled pork and bbq sauce and pickled jalapeños on the side. eff. i would eat these anytime. omg, i'm hungry just thinking about 'em.... ;)
....and while i don't generally post pix of myself over here, i see i've done it in the past so i'll just make this really tiny and mostly unrecognizable. while i had mentioned that i really wanted a photo with gnash (the second best nhl mascot after harvey, IMO), i didn't imagine myself chasing him down. enroute to foraging, however, the elevator door opened and there he was !! ha ! he didn't want to be seen with a flames fan, but eventually relented thanks in no small part to the pleading by my gorgeous friend.... ;) what a kickass night. AND the flames won !!!!
to sum up: a good time was had by all, and the flames went to OT/shootout for the fourth time in my five away game experiences, and the prophecy/blasphemy gio jersey remains undefeated.... SO fun.
[many, many thanks to A&T for housing me and showing me a wonderful time, and their little dudes for making me laugh my butt off. xox]
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20 comments:
you should get pictures with every mascot in the league
i would like to....
1. arena
2. snacks
3. mascot.
4. swede of the eve (hornqvist in this case).
:)
Mmm... bbq nachos. I think we may have to go to the Palomino and convince them to create this delicacy with some of their pulled pork. Heck, "Palomino" even sounds like a Nashville honky tonk.
Its great that you met Gnash from Smashville, and that he bugged you for supporting the visitors.
BTW... the best thing about Bridgestone Arena isn't its location... Its that it used to be Gaylord Arena. I know and I'm sorry, I have the sense of humour of a 10-year old.
Yes! The entry for the Nashville trip is up.
Those nachos look pretty dece.
I would ask you if you went to the country music hall of fame but of course you did, you wouldn't diss Hank by not going. So I'm just not going to ask.
azr: no, i didn't go. but don't think less of me cause i DID go to robert's western world, where i saw johnny cash's bass player (old) play in a band with johnny paycheck's drummer (old) who just came off of a triple bypass.
after that, the country music HOF seemed kindof lame; hank, hank II, hank III or otherwise.... plus i needn't waste my time with all that nouveau carrie underwood/keith urban bullshit.
and azevedo ? the nachos were killer.
Didn't we have a conversation about Gnash during a Flames/Preds game earlier this season? I'm almost positive we did...
arik:
we sure did .
Also, on the subject of the Country Music Hall of Fame: it's a joke. If it doesn't have Gram Parsons- it's friggin' joke.
Other absurd omissions: Roseanne Cash, Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Uncle Tupelo.
Yes! I knew it was out there haha. Gnash is the coolest.
word for word:
"gnash, you are awesome, dude. handsdown the second best arena mascot in the nhl."
lol
I like the looks of Gnash and everything, but you guys are totally missing the boat... NACHOS WITH PULLED PORK AND BBQ SAUCE!!! When are we going to get these things going at the 'dome? I'm totally going to open a stand with deep fried ravioli and BBQ Nachos, and put Pocketdawgs out of business.
Also on pocketdawgs... I'm now going to the game on Monday, but I'm in a box. No special arena treats for me, just the wings and spring rolls that they deliver.
Mike: I made something like those nachos last week, with leftover pulled pork and real cheese, and yes, they were delicious. But you're wrong, Gnash is totally the best part of this post.
I really really want to go to Nashville. Hopefully next spring, for this.
Glad you finally made it home, and that you had a great time :)
Country music blows. Though I'm pretty much spared from a lot of it here in Florida, it still sucks. My two cents. Sorry Calgarians, I know its big up there...but it sucks. I'll stick with the stuff Swedish people listen to. What you call that music, wi?
Oh yeah btw...Youpi is the second best NHL mascot. Vive les Expos!!!
Sarah: I see where you're coming from, but here's how I break it down:
BBQ Nachos: super tasty, $1,000,000 pocketdawg killing idea,
Gnash from Smashville: sideshow attraction filled with foam.
That is of course as long as this is just a fun debate. :)
I know I made fun of the Oakland crowd over at yours, but they actually have some great arena snacks. As you cruise the concourse, each wicket has a different kind of beer (not just bud and miller either, Anchor Steam, Kona, Fat Tire, and Sierra Nevada were just a few of the options) and food on offer. The pulled pork sandwiches were awesome.
Jafi: Not so into the "country" myself, but some of those guys (the Man in Black, Kris Kristofferson, etc.) were badass. If you're talking Shania Twain and Garth Brooks, they can lick my boots.
@Jafi God I hate that attitude. There is a lot of GREAT country music out there. There's even more terrible country music. It's just a matter of sifting through it.
I'll never understand how it's "cool" to make fun of country. Like Mike said, Man in Black? Awesome. Kristofferson? Awesome. Other artists that rock/rocked? Ryan Adams, Gram Parsons, Hank Williams (Lovesick Blues is my all time favorite song), Emmylou Harris, Lorretta Lynn, and so on.
It's one thing to say "I've never really enjoyed country" or "I pretend to hate country even though I've never really been exposed to it, but to say it sucks? Please.
Vomit. And I've been exposed to it, remember I live in the southern United States. I met Allan Jackson once, nice guy. It sucks though. :)
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