As I mentioned last week, I recently spent several days in San Francisco with some friends. We stayed at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square. Selecting a hotel was a challenge made more difficult by the presence of a major convention and the availability of rooms with two beds. The Westin St. Francis had a special of four nights for the price of three which, coupled with its location, made it our best choice. This was our annual baseball trip.

We saw games at the O.co Coliseum, home of the Oakland A’s, and AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. It was an interesting juxtaposition of the old and new. The O.co Coliseum opened in 1968. Obviously, this park lacks the modern amenities but has held up well, considering how old it is. AT&T Park opened in 2000 and might be my favorite ballpark. It runs along the San Francisco Bay, which is nicknamed McCovey Cove in honor of William McCovey, a Hall of Fame first baseman. The plaza between the water and stadium is bustling with Giants fans and locals. The Cove is dotted with kayakers who occasionally catch a home run.

We also had two other baseball-related experiences. Our favorite nightspot was Lefty O’Doul’s, a unique bar named after Lefty O’Doul, a baseball legend in the area. The bar featured a piano player and a buffet-style menu. The fare was hearty and best described as comfort food. Awesome hand-carved sandwiches, fluffy mashed potatoes and cherry pie were my favorites.

Continuing the baseball theme, we met Lou Piniella at our hotel. Piniella, a former player and manager, talked to us several minutes about his stay in Chicago.

Baseball brought us to San Francisco, but truthfully it was more about friendship. We have done 11 trips and have seen 20 ballparks in 17 different cities. I am lucky to have seen beautiful ballparks, watched great games, traveled through most of America and spent time with great friends.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist