2 of 31: Tailgating at the Cleveland Browns Stadium
November 7, 2010
Heading for Cleveland, we drove through the snow along Lake Erie to tailgate at the Browns - Patriots game. Saturday night we parked and slept on the street near the stadium (no overnight parking in the lots like Buffalo) and lined up at 6 AM to get into the cop-recommended "best" parking lot. Even in line in the dark the vehicular splendor of the assembling vans and buses was like a fiesta in orange...
Fan Vans and Radical Rigs
There were at least 100 vehicles that had undergone radical body-art transformations. The Cleveland Fans know how to show their colors. Porches, decks, roof platforms, murals, color coordinated awnings, helmet cabs, dog cabs and all manner of inflatable sculptures (Some of which we will try to forget). Large to huge grills are set up in aisles of the parking lot and there are hundreds of corn hole games happening. Most of the boards are decorated in some pattern of team colors, but others are true works of art. Fan Vans and Radical Rigs! See them here!
Martha Visits the Parking Lot and Talks About Interior Design that Works
Bathed in a brilliant orange and highlighted with touches of brown makes the interior of
these Fan Vans warm, welcoming and enveloping. The inclusion of various stuffed dogs,
helmets large and small, and various football
cards, beads and pillows is a delightful flourish
that harmonizes with the touches of gray and
white which pull these spaces together so
beautifully. It's a good thing.
We can only complement the decorators of these interiors and the way they have achieved such cheery warmth.
Browse through this special decorator's collection of fabulous Cleveland party vehicle interiors.
Dogs not only play a major part in the decor, but are used in the hair and make-up of the fans, and of course as thematically dressed companions. Canine Style-Setters
Food and Drink
I love the smell of acres of bacon in the morning...
In the Brown's parking lot on the shore of Lake Erie I learned a lot about alcohol recipes as well as styles of consumption. There were Jell-O shooters, beer bongs, Bloody Marys, cases and kegs of beer and what looked like 1/2 gallon fan beer mugs everywhere. Two fun-loving fans, Kris and Christine, gave me some quick recipes for Vodka drinks.
#1: 1 cup warm hand pressed apple cider
1 cup caramel vodka
1 caramel candy bottom of each glass
#2: 1 cup Malibu Vodka
1 cup V-8 Fusion Peach Mango
They also recommended Lemon Vodka in ice tea as well as Bacardi O with Sprite. We shall be trying them all. In fact we are drinking the last of our apple cider warmed with vodka as we edit and upload these photos.
There were some rather unique dishes being prepared: grilled lobsters, a deep fat fried turkey and steamed clams. One of the better morsels I sampled was Kent's Bacon Wrapped Chicken.
Cut up chicken breasts, wrap with bacon, stick in a toothpick, put in a ziplock bag pour Jerk Sauce over and marinate overnight. Bring it to the game and grill. ..or do the same with Scallops instead of chicken. Quick, Easy and delicious!
Fans
So many fun, team loving and generous fans. So much bacon. You Dawgs, You Brown's Fans, You citizens of Cleveland...you know how to do it! We tried to photograph all of you.
Enjoy yourselves in all your high-spirited glory and thank you for a great time.
Final: Cleveland 34, Patriots 14
Congratulations!
