Super Bowl Trip – Day 2: The Today Show
We got up at 5:45am this morning to head down to Centennial Olympic Park for The Today Show. While we are waiting for our ride, Kevin Hart’s luxury bus pulls up. The famous comedian is actually staying at another hotel. But his chauffeur is staying at the Marriott with us. This is actually quite common. Bismarck (our driver from the airport) said wealthy people/celebrities will come to Atlanta often, and their chauffeurs will drive their limos all the way down to Atlanta so they have their own limos to ride around in. Ok, why wouldn’t their drivers just rent a limousine down here and drive that? I thought that was interesting.
The Today Show! When the camera isn’t rolling, Al Roker looks tired
We were not the first ones at the Today Show so we had to wait about 45 min to get ourselves up to the rail. A couple of mothers with kids were directly in front of us and I knew it would only be a matter of time before the kids got cold and tired. I was right. We slid right in.
Drew Brees was there for an interview. He was, of course, being very gracious about the whole thing despite the Saints not playing in the big game. I know he is not a large quarterback but in real life, he seems even smaller.
Drew Brees came down the line of fans on the rail, said hello and took pictures with everyone who asked – classy guy!
We stood next to all the Patriots fans on the rail. It’s not even close — there are Patriots fans here in Atlanta in droves! Brenda from Rhode Island was right beside us and she was first in line to enter the Today Show barricade at 5am. She is the one who won 2 free Super Bowl tix awarded by the Today Show. She was crying she was so happy! It was pretty cool. Everyone standing next to us seemed impressed with my Pepsi win and so we got a picture of the 2 winners together. And Joe was practically a celebrity with his referee uniform and sign – everyone wanted pictures of it. Some guy on the street actually asked him, “Are YOU officiating the game on Sunday?” haha
Furry Today Show guests getting ready to go on
We Tivo’d the Today Show so we will watch it when we get home. But in the meantime, Joe’s brother, Roger, took a video of us and put it out on Youtube for us to see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY-heZ7NSvQ&feature=youtu.be
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2roRD1ln4M&feature=youtu.be
Brenda from Rhode Island wins 2 free tix to the Super Bowl – she was right next to us!
The two big winners!
The New England Patriots cheerleaders
The Sky Wheel in downtown Atlanta next to The Today Show set lit up the skyline
The Sky Wheel — each gondola car is decorated as a different NFL football helmet/logo
We would have loved to stay downtown and take in the sights but Pepsi wanted me back to the hotel before 10am for official registration. Actually, it’s registration for all the winners that are staying in the hotel. And there are winners of varying degrees. Some people won tix to the game along with hotel stays, and NFL merchandise, but not the opportunity to go on the field for Half Time. It sounds like myself and 1 other person are the only 2 Grand Prize winners that won the whole enchilada from Pepsi.
Today at registration we also received our NFL Merchandise bag (both Joe and I got our own bags). A bag contains: 1 NFL Super Bowl LIII football, a wireless water proof Blue Tooth speaker, a stainless steel Pepsi tumbler, a Super Bowl LIII hat, our lanyards that will hold our game tix, and of course one clear Super Bowl LIII bag that meets the stadium requirements for bringing in bags. Like most stadiums, for security reasons, bags have to be clear and meet their size dimensions. So, we got some fun items as well as practical game-day items that we will need.
NFL Merchandise bag – Joe and I each got our own containing a football, hat, stainless steel tumbler, wireless water proof Blue Tooth Speaker, lanyards and a clear bag for the game
After we concluded our Pepsi business, we finally ate at the hotel’s breakfast buffet around 10:30am which is quite extensive. Checking my email, I find Pepsi sent more legal documents for me and Joe to sign and those were waiting for me when I got back to the room. This is the most paperwork I’ve ever filled out in my life!
We ate a huge breakfast and then decided to save our sightseeing for tomorrow instead since Pepsi doesn’t need me again til Sunday. A little nap time due to the early morning start. And I got a good workout in the hotel’s fitness center. It’s a beautiful day and 60 degrees here in Atlanta!
We went to an early dinner (skipped lunch again). Our driver today on the free hotel shuttle to the restaurant is from Jamaica. He was driving around with his books. Like myself, he is an author and had just published his 4th book. He had copies of his book in the shuttle van (a very smart marketing idea). He writes fiction but gets his stories based on things that have happened to him throughout his life. We’re making a lot of friends with the drivers, the hotel concierge, our waitresses – everyone in Atlanta has been super friendly. Joe bought a signed copy of our driver’s book.
Joe bought a copy of our shuttle driver’s (Paul Hillman) latest book. He boxed in the Olympics for Jamaica
Tonight we ate at Pappasito’s Cantina which serves Tex-Mex. We started off with their famous queso dip but what is unique is they like to serve it with homemade tortillas that you dip in it. They had a very efficient rotating hot griddle that dispensed the balls of dough on the griddle which cooked them fast and arrived hot at your table. Along with a strawberry margarita and a Zombie Margarita to wash it down!
The tortilla griddle at Pappasito’s Cantina cranked out the tortillas fast and hot
Joe got the Plato San Juan: 4 jumbo brochette-style shrimp and a half rack of ribs. I got the Coronado which contained 3 brochette-style shrimp, a cheese enchilada and a crispy beef taco. The difference between the brochette shrimp served here vs. last night’s restaurant is Pappasito’s features a unique mesquite grill flavor. We both loved our entrees!
Joe’s entrée: Plato San Juan
My entrée: the Coronado
The dessert tray came out and we honestly were way too full to even think of dessert. And yet, our waitress Trace brought us a free dessert anyway. Was it because I am a travel author and she knows I’m blogging about her restaurant? Maybe. But she was SO nice and when she brought it to us, she said, “I’m really impressed with you two.” Whatever that means. Dinner was wonderful from the service to the quality of the food and the price!
Dessert Tray: churros rolled in cinnamon & sugar served with homemade ice cream or hot fudge on the side; a sundae with homemade whip cream and caramel syrup underneath; Tres Leche Cake w/homemade meringue; cajeta rolled in roasted coconut and drizzled with chocolate sauce
Our waitress brought us Tres Leche Cake topped with homemade meringue as a free treat!
We made friends with Stephen at the Marriott front desk – we’ve been bringing him our leftover shrimp the last 2 nights from dinner because it’s his favorite. Although he’s rather amused with our to-go offerings. I don’t think he really thought we’d bring him food.
He is on celebrity watch for us and has been telling us who has been in and out of the hotel. Football stars Michael Vick and Ray Lewis were eating breakfast in the hotel restaurant yesterday. We just missed the meet and greet with Matt Ryan that was in one of the salons at the hotel when we checked in. Eli Manning was at our hotel earlier today eating lunch.
After dinner, we met Sinatra in the hotel lobby. A canine celebrity! The only 6-colored bulldog in the world (he’s in the Guinness Book of World Records)
Again, not as much going on today due to the crack of dawn wake-up call this morning. I would have liked to have done more downtown but Pepsi needed me back at the hotel and that definitely cut our morning short.
Tomorrow is a big day! We are going to the Georgia Aquarium, the College Football Hall of Fame, and finally the fancy Taste of NFL party tomorrow night. I can’t wait!
A parting shot of us from the TV at the Today Show
