Brunch and a Rams Game

I was a little tired Sunday morning. A cup of joe and a Cardinals victory had me up a little later than I wanted last night, but I got going this morning. It was Leslie's sister's birthday, so today we were having brunch at the Palm House in Tower Grove Park. We drove through the park, past all the gazeebos, and walked into the restaurant. I think I might have been at this place before.....just kidding Shanaenae. Inside, the restaurant was bathed in white light, and adorned with small citrus trees. It's a very elegant place for a Sunday meal. We ordered our drinks, and headed off to the buffet.

The food, in a nutshell, was very good. There was a wide variety to choose from, and it was all tasty. There were meats, pastas, eggs, omlettes, bagels, fruit, french toast, tapanades, and many other culinary delights. From a vegetarian perspective, there were more than enough choices at the tables for me. I started with a fruit, cheese, and bagel plate; and moved on to the pastas and grilled vegetables for my next plate. The first plate was good and light, but the second seemed a little thick and heavy for a late morning meal. Grilled vegetables, pasta, and coffee is not a mix I would recommend, so I finished off with another plate like the first, except that I loaded up a little more on the blackberries. It was a nice, leisurely way to dine on a Sunday morning. As I leaned back in my chair, I was relaxed and content, but my mind was starting to turn to football. I finished my coffee, took a cleansing drink of lemon water, and Leslie and I were on our way to the Rams game.

This day, the Rams were playing the Seahawks. We drove down through some medium traffic on Washington Avenue, parked in a garage, and made our way to the Dome. So many people crowded the streets, and there was a three-piece band set up on the street playing "When the Saints Go Marching In". The beer, the beads, the music, the crowds, the event almost had a Mardi Gras feel to it. We went through the long lines, and pat-down, tight security, and made our way to our seats.

We sat two rows up from the endzone. I was suprised how close the endzone was. There was only about six feet from the end of the endzone to where our seats were. When Deion Branch scored a TD right in front of us, he was standing right in front of us, taunting the Rams fans with a smile, and I was like, "huh, there's Deion Branch right there" The seats were great for endzone plays right in front of us, but the plays at the other end of the field seemed very distant. The ceilings seemed huge, but the stadium itself seemed almost small and close compared to a baseball park.

A live game is a lot different than TV. For one thing, there is nobody calling the plays, so you have to keep a keen eye on the game to see what's going on. Another difference is that it's nice to see a whole play unfold instead of what is presented on the box of the TV. There is almost a mystique about the game that is not there when you are at the game. It's real people, and they run the play and you see it, and it seems...regular. It's hard to explain, but it seems less like a TV show and more like a stage play.

The game, overall was good, and I thought the Rams were going to come away with an easy victory and lead the Western Division. I guess that would be too easy, and they found a way to hand the Seahawks the ball on the 20 and the 30. Soon the Seahawks were up by six, and driving on the Rams 5 yd. line with a few minutes to go - But Wait! Fumble! Rams Recover!!! Bulger moves it down the field, and then...a juggling catch by Holt! Rams up by 1 with less than a minute to play. Everyone's screaming, I'm high-fiving people I don't even know. All we have to do is hold them for a minute and a half, but Hasselback had another plan. A few short, accurate passes with YAC and they were knocking on our 31 yd. line. But wait, penalty with 4 seconds left on the clock...10 second run-off, right? No. Seattle lines up for a 53 yarder, and hits it. The joy of the crowd went a disappointing silence, and people began to leave. No division lead for us, but it was a great game. Well, hopefully the Cards will have more success. Time for the NLCS!