Saturday, June 23, 2012

Eight Exciting Things: Number 6

Priceless

We're all familiar with the MasterCard Priceless ad campaign.  It's a clever series of ads, one with just the right hint of poignance and nostalgia to drive home the message that money can't buy happiness, but it can help make the priceless happy experiences happen. 

But you really don't understand the true meaning of Priceless until you have a priceless experience of your own.  Recently, Nathan and I got to have our MasterCard Priceless experience at Wrigley Field. 

Our priceless package was provided to us, free of charge, through the MasterCard Priceless Chicago Cubs Pledge program, and made possible by fellow blogger Hope Bertram


Here's how this awesome day went: On the morning of Wednesday, June 13, Nathan and I took two trains up to Wrigley Field.  By 1:00 our feet were planted right on Wrigley Field.  Here are my shoes touching the soil of the Friendly Confines:


I'm not just saying it: This was priceless.  There's such a special aura about Wrigley Field, such a sense of history and an infectious spirit all around the stadium.  To be right down there on the field was just magical.

OMG I'm on Wrigley Field!

Nathan was a bit overwhelmed at first, saying he wanted to "go back to the chairs."  I like to think he's demonstrating the stubborn Cub fans' attitude of Well, there's always next year. 

I'm at the famous ivy:


Nathan, now with a much-improved attitude, is taking his own photographs:





And here we are 368 feet (yards?) from home plate:


Photo by Nathan of an awe-struck Mom:


We had the opportunity to practice hitting and catching with some real Cubs coaches, but Nathan and I were both too insecure in our baseball skills to practice with the big leaguers.  So we just played catch by ourselves:


Then we saw the dugout:


Can I get an Awww?


We're on the warning track:


After an hour on the field, we all had to vacate the stadium for three hours while the players and employees prepared for the game.  Knowing it was going to be kind of a long haul for a little kid, I brought in reinforcements in the form of a new toy.  We got this adorable stuffed animal pretzel, which proved to be hugely entertaining for all:


We spent some time in the Cubs Village next to the stadium, where Nathan practiced hitting:


And played beanbags:


And took a photo with Ernie Banks (and the pretzel):


Finally, at 5:00, it was time for our free dinner buffet at the United Club inside the stadium:


The buffet included turkey breast, rack of lamb, prime rib, and lobster gnocchi. 

Also beer.  Of course, beer.

 After dinner we headed out to our seats to watch the Cubs play the Detroit Tigers.



Please stop!  You're eating my cousin!

The only thing Nathan could talk about was cotton candy, so we spent at least an inning scouring the entire stadium to find the one stand that sold it. 

Around the sixth inning, Nathan announced that Pretzel was ready to leave.  At that point the Cubs were winning, but in the end they lost, 4-8.  Oh well, there's always next year. 

He does look a little peaked.

A huge thank-you to Hope and to MasterCard for this truly priceless experience!  And if you want a chance to win this same priceless experience, visit the MasterCard Cubs Pledge Facebook page before June 26.  To enter, you'll have to pledge to do something wacky to support the Cubs, then take a picture of yourself doing it. 

I'll tell you my wacky pledge later. 

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