On Tuesday my son called me to say that his company had an extra ticket to the U.S.A. World Cup Qualifier Game against Panama at Century Link Field. He asked me if I’d like to meet up with him and go to the game. What do you think I said!? Yes, thank you. Off I went to a hotel in Bellevue to meet up with the rest of the group. Joshua’s company had reserved a party bus to take everyone across Lake Washington to the stadium. They also had booked a private suite for the game.
Josh was able to represent well with his USA warm-up. He and I were probably the most excited of the bunch to be going to the game. Soccer is a joy for me to watch and I understand that for many it would just make you yawn. We caught the “soccer bug” after going to World Cup games in the U.S.A. in 1994.
It was a beautiful day in Seattle and as we crossed Lake Washington it was fun to see all the sail boats out in force. What fun to just let someone else do the driving.
When we got into the stadium they were handing out complimentary scarves to everyone. We were very excited to receive these!
We headed to the elevators to go up to the Suite Level. I had never been on the Suite level before.
You have to have a ticket that shows a Suite # to be admitted onto this floor.
We looked down to our usual level when we come to a game. Our Club level is pretty sweet, too.
Here it is…Suite 16. We were very happy to see we were not far off from the 50 yard line! Woohoo!
Wow…this is going to be fun and comfortable!
Food and drinks included and 2 private restrooms.
We picked our seats and hung our flag and got ready to cheer the U.S.A. to victory!
The excitement was mounting and I sat ready to enjoy it all.
This is the Centennial year for soccer in the U.S.A. Our Seattle fans are the best and unfurled these banners to celebrate 100 years of history!
#6 Brad Evans and #18 Eddie Johnson are players from our own Sounders Football Club here in Seattle. Brad Evans scored the winning goal for the U.S.A. against Jamaica and Eddie Johnson scored a goal in this game against Panama. We’re proud of our Sounders!
At Half time we took the time to take some posed photos.
What a great group of people from all over the Western States that work for our son’s company. I met folks from Arizona, Utah, California, Idaho, Denver and Washington.
I was able to spot and zoom in on the Space Needle from our suite.
Great views all around. Scoring first made for a wonderful atmosphere in the stadium and the chants “We are going to Brazil” made for a lot of excitement. It’s not a given for a country as large as the U.S.A. to qualify for the World Cup. We won this game with a 2-0 result.
When the game was over we headed down to find The Party Ride bus to take us back to the East side of Lake Washington.
We spotted the Party Ride just where they let us off. There were a lot of people who wished they could hop on that bus with us.
What a great experience for this soccer lover to enjoy with my son. If you ever have a chance to enjoy a game in a suite I would highly recommend it.
The party bus was fun, too. I got home late and was happy to know I had nothing on my calendar until noon on Wednesday. It was nice to just relax the morning after all the fun I had on Tuesday night. Thank you dear son of mine for thinking of your soccer lovin mom! You are the best!
Today is Friday and if the weather is decent I’m headed to Edmonds for their annual Art Festival. I worked hard on Thursday clearing out the free standing cabinets in our kitchen to get ready for the new floors being installed in July. I cleared out our island cabinets as we will have to remove the island completely so the floor can be replaced under it. We have prep work to do before the flooring contractor can come in so I’ll be living with the bare necessities in my kitchen. I told Dear that if I’m too limited we might just have to eat out every night!
I’ve been so sad to see the news about the fires in Colorado. I do hope things come under control soon. Hope all is well where you live.
I’m joining in with The Tablescaper for her meme called “Oh the Places I’ve Been #9” since I’m home alone this week and have time to come and visit all the participants.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
What a great experience! We were treated to a Disney on Ice production once, many years ago, in a suite at the GM center in Vancouver. It was wonderful.
We sort of follow the FIFA games since we learned to appreciate soccer a little more when we lived in Ecuador. But we don’t really get into any sports.
How exciting for you! I’ve never watched a single soccer game so I know nothing about them. Soccer is HUGE in Kansas City…so many youth leagues.
Our daughter is far from the southern most fire but the smoke blew up into Denver and she was having trouble with it. She finally headed north to a friends house to get away from it a bit. I was hopeful they would have a better summer with more moisture out there in the last few months but wow, 3 already. I know it does wonders for the terrain… burning off stuff and new healthy growth, but it’s scary with homes. Here our scary storms are over so quickly but I watch these fires in Colorado and California and how long they drag on and to never know if the wind will change direction and send embers flying your way. Whew…faith builder to trust God during fire season.
How absolutely fun is that!!!!!!
Well, you certainly got the “royal” treatment!! Memorable night with a sweet son. I’ll always remember the time my son called and asked if I wanted to go to a concert with him. He had two tickets and his wife didn’t want to go. It was Merle Haggard…not anyone I listen to, but that didn’t matter! It was so sweet that he would want to take me…I would have gone to hear almost anyone with him!
You do love your soccer 🙂 Hurray for US winning, too!
What an experience!
Love how you are such a soccer fan!!! What a fun event to spend with your son. Looks like you were treated royally! Good luck with your renovation preps – wish I could help you somehow – it’s such a big job! I know from experience that it’s easiest to do kitchen renos in the summer time when you can cook outside and on the BBQ – hope all goes well!
What a great experience! I had to show this to my husband who is a big soccer fan. He’s very jealous. 🙂 He was wildly cheering this game in front of the TV. Wow on that food spread.
What a very nice son to give you such a treat!
Now that’s having fun in style! What a wonderful suite and such a fun bus! Your pictures are great, and it sounds like such a fun time. How wonderful that your son wanted to share this experience with you. laurie
What a wonderful experience, lucky you. I can see you had a great time. Have a nice weekend
It all looks and sounds wonderful, but the best part is having the kind of relationship with your son where he will call and invite you to do something with him just for fun. Spending time together–that’s the best, isn’t it?
I admit soccer makes me yawn, but still it looks like great fun and I’m glad you got to go along on the party bus! I really love that shot of the Space Needle, especially because of the glimpse of soccer fans in the stands on the left side of the photo. It’s really a unusual composition.
I finally got a chance to catch up on all your eventful happenings over the past few weeks! WOW…what a full plate of FUN!!!! And I am just hoping and waiting that the bucket list item has something to do with you jumping on a plane and joining hubby in Marseille!
Karen, I guess I dropped the ball and didn’t say that watching a soccer game from a Suite was my bucket list item. Of course I did see that the Europa League Championship games are going to be in Marseille in 2014! 🙂
I’m just happy to know someone who’s watched a soccer game in such style. We’re just learning about soccer as we have a grand who’ll begin his third year of soccer in the fall. He loves it (but not as much as baseball).
Ellen, I’m one of those who don’t get excited about soccer, but I am one of those who gets super excited about a friend getting a very special ‘gift’ and special experience to remember and share with a son !!
Oh..my..God..! How fun is that??!!! Wow, I can feel the excitement in each of your shot. That party bus rock! Kudon to your son for including you for for the great fun!
Oh my goodness Ellen B! It looks like you had the most amazing time at the game. That suite sure is fancy and I’ll bet a lot more comfortable then sitting in the stadium bleachers. Some of those rows looks so high that I think I’d get dizzy sitting up there :-O.
I hope you have a lovely weekend
xoxo, cori g.
Wow! Living the high life. I smiled at your “high recommendation” — an invitation to being pampered with great views and fun food? Not hard to pass up.
The bus is a trip! Love the ceiling in it. Looks like you had a great time. Love your shot of the space needle. Thanks for visiting me. Take care – Dawn, We Call It Junkin
Now that looks like it was a fun time! And the food! Look at all the delicious food!
Sounds like an amazing day!
Thanks for being a part of “Oh, the PLACES I’ve been!”
I LOVE your header! Where was that taken???
– The Tablescaper
The header photo was taken at the Mennonite Girls Can Cook photo shoot for our new cookbook Celebrations. The table is Bev’s in Chilliwack B.C. and was set out in her yard for me to scape before our tea in July of 2012….