Good Eats in San Diego, Calif.

Almost eight years ago I went to San Diego for Christmas vacation, and stumbled upon some really good restaurants.  Only one restaurant stands out as being really great and worth talking about: Humphrey's by the Bay.

It has a fantastic view of the bay (as you would expect from its name), and a stylish dining room that provides everybody with a view.  You get to enjoy a fantastic view of boats anchored in the marina, which you can see from the web site.  It probably seems cliché that a restaurant in San Diego would have great seafood, and that is the case here.  I had some delicious sea scallops, but the item that makes this place stick in my memory is the corn chowder.  I had never eaten corn chowder before, but Humphrey's dish was fantastic.  It was creamy without being too heavy, and the corn was tasty but not overpowering.

Baseball Stadiums: Regions Park

For the first time in 19 years I went to a minor league baseball game in Hoover, Ala., and saw the Birmingham Barons host the Montgomery Biscuits in Southern League action.  My first visit to the stadium now known as Regions Park came in August 1993 with my dad, and sadly I don't recall that visit to the park.  Except for some souvenirs I have little recollection about that game.  However, I made sure to document my most recent visit to the stadium previously known as Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

I got great seats on the day of the game (Section AA, Row 3) an hour before first pitch.  I don't know if sales are slow because it is the last season the Barons will play at Regions Park or a reflection about the team's overall attendance trend.  Regardless, I had great seats on a humid night.

Main entrance of Regions Park.

The stadium opened in 1987, which is obvious from the massive concrete grandstand, and lacks any special charm despite attempts to renovate the entrance.  The flags were at half mast because of the shooting in Aurora, Colo., the previous day.  Whether at half mast or not, the flag poles disrupt a fan's ability to read the name of the park at its main entrance.  The souvenir shop is just feet past the game, but is very small and has just the minimal amount of novelties for sale.  I purchased a Babe Ruff doll for my friend's two-year-old son, which I know he'll enjoy.  However, I was disappointed that the store did not have the replica wooden bat I wanted.  I hoped to find a natural-colored mini bat for my collection, but the store only had red and black varieties.  The team did the best with a not-so-good situation, but it certainly lacked the usual appeal that other souvenir store possess.

Dreamland BBQ Nachos.

I had mixed results with the food and drink selection.  Three concession stands had the same items, except for the Stadium Pub & Grill.  The decor was the same as the other stands, but it featured Dreamland BBQ nachos.  The nacho chips were covered in melted cheese, pulled pork, bbq sauce, sour cream, onions, diced tomatoes, and jalapenos.  I've seen BBQ nachos at other ballparks (Dickey-Stephens in North Little Rock and Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn.), but these were something to brag about.  I complemented the nachos with a 16-oz. Shock Top, and felt full but not stuffed.  There were a few specialty stands like Mojitos Mexican Grill and Barber's (an ice cream stand), but the thing that stood out for me was the premium beer stand along the first base line.  It has a variety of local microbrews, but the most shocking thing was the inclusion of Rolling Rock as a premium beer.  I've had Rolling Rock on many occasions, but I'd never classify it as a premium beer!  At least the Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale I drank hit the taste buds right.

The in-game entertainment was nothing special, but the postgame fireworks show compensated for any shortcomings of the in-game crew.  The entertainment was not bad, but nothing stood out about the promotions or contests.  It was also difficult to hear the public address announcer, so my friend was not clear on the name of the female mascot.  The mascot names were cute, but Babe Ruff and Lillie Mays could have contributed more to the entertainment experience.

Fireworks over an Alabama night.