Thursday, October 31, 2002

Day 31, 2002: Goodfella's Kitchen (W. Village, NYC)




DAY 31: October 31st
LOCATION: Goodfellas Kitchen (Christopher St and Bleecker St, NYC)
GUEST: Ptolemy Slocum, Mike Birbiglia, Julie Tudor, Marian Rosin, Kevin Hines
ORDER: 3 slices of cheese
PIZZA REPORT: Good pizza is made by the fellas at Goodfellas. Even though they sell by the slice, they seem to know the precise reheat time. I ordered three slices of plain cheese at three different times and came up with carbon copies of an ideal slice every time. It's like a perfected art...if that's possible. Each slice had just the right amount of sauce with a light dusting of cheese. This greatness was all supported by a firm but chewy crust foundation. Goodfellas is pizza heaven. As a matter of fact, after my first bite I swear I could see 4 angels...Kevin insists they are Halloween costumes but I know deep in my heart that Kevin is wrong.
MISC.:


  • Fresh from a Barber shop in Ohio, Ptolemy Slocum came by to eat pizza with me on the final day of pizza month. Turns out, we have the same pizza eating technique! We both occasionally take a random bite out of the crust to keep the toppings:crust ratio constant. See for yourself in this illustration of our half-eaten slices...

  • Photo has not been doctored in any way




  • I was fortunate to meet Mike Birbiglia today but both of us swear we already knew each other. If anyone might know how we know each other, feel free to contact me. In the meantime, I guess our relationship will be on hold. He seems like a great guy so hopefully someone out there knows something about our first encounter so we can resume our suspended relationship.



  • Julie Tudor successfully convinced me not to get any hair removed using the 'wax' method.



  • Marian Rosin was wearing a mask...but we all knew it was her.



  • Kevin Hines book-ended the '31 days' by joining me on the first and thirty-first (and several times in between) days of pizza month. Kevin, you really stepped up to help me make personal history and I want you to know that I appreciate it.



  • In addition, I'd like to thank all the people that helped make these past 31 days very memorable and very delicious. Thus concludes the day to day coverage of this endeavor. Stay tuned for further reflections and pizza month stats. Thanks for your attention and have a great November.

  • Wednesday, October 30, 2002

    Day 30, 2002: Morgan Stanley Cafeteria (Midtown, NYC)

    DAY 30: October 30th
    LOCATION: Morgan Stanley Cafeteria (Broadway and 46th st, NYC)
    GUEST: Erik Tanouye, Andrew Butterworth
    ORDER: half a sicilian slice of marguarite, half a sicilian slice of mushroom, half a sicilian slice of pepperoni and sausage
    PIZZA REPORT: Corporate corruption...of pizza. All three of my slices of pizza were in the oven too long resulting in charred undersides, brittle crust, and an overdone aftertaste. That being said, the slice of marguarite still easily passed my 'threshold of tastiness'. The basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella cheese combined to form a delicious ensemble atop the overdone crust. The toppings, in general, at the Morgan Stanley Cafeteria were great, however, the meat and mushroom slices just weren't good enough to enter the 'threshold of tastiness' I mentioned earlier.
    MISC.:

  • Andrew Butterworth enjoyed the artwork in the MS cafeteria, particularly the portrait of a gigantic jelly donut.



  • Erik Tanouye admitted that if he were a Biblical figure, he'd be Noah. He also admitted (and proved through enclosed documentation*) that he has eaten pizza on 25 of 30 possible days in October.
  • Tuesday, October 29, 2002

    Day 29, 2002: Patsy's Pizzeria (Harlem, NYC)

    DAY 29: October 29th
    LOCATION: Patsy's (1st ave bet 117th and 118th st, NYC)
    GUEST: Birch Harms, Kevin Hines
    ORDER: 3 slices of fresh mozzarella and 2 slices of pepperoni
    PIZZA REPORT: Coal-fired up! My experience at Patsy's adds further support to the theory that 'I love the taste of NYC coal-fired pizza'. Both of our pies were delicious. The slices are thin and, at the advice of the Patsy's cook, should not be loaded with many toppings. He also told us the cooktime for a pie is less than 3.5 minutes. Ours must have been in the oven for bit more than 3.5 minutes as slightly overdone spots were evident on both crust rims. Amazingly enough, however, the taste and consistency of the burnt crust was virtually unHARMed (pun intended, Birch). The well-applied sauce and brilliant cheese distribution made each Patsy's pie not just a pizza but a masterpizz-a.
    MISC.:
  • Birch Harms was not named after the tree or the beer, nor was he razzed by kids saying "life's a birch" or "A farewell to HARMS", nor did he appear to enjoy me and Kevin Hines coming up with inappropriate ways to use his names.


  • Kevin Hines thought of a great way to avoid getting mugged; carry 12 wallets each with very little money in addition to your real one. Kevin admits their might be some kinks in the plan. "By the time the mugger gets the 'real' wallet, he'll either be laughing too hard to complete the crime or," Kevin continued, "he might shoot you."
  • Monday, October 28, 2002

    Day 28, 2002: Nicky's Pizza and Sal's Pizza (Norwood, Bronx)



    DAY 28: October 28th
    LOCATION: Nicky's Pizza and Sal's Pizza (204th St and Brainbridge Ave, BRONX)
    GUEST: Dan Dunford
    ORDER: 2 slices of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Dan couldn't decide between his two favorite Bronx pizzerias so we went to both. I ordered a slice of cheese at each location. Eating the slices at the respective pizzerias in such a short time span enabled me to compare and contrast them in ways previously thought impossible. For instance:
    Sal's  Nicky's
    cheese
    sauce
    size*
    appearance
    taste
    * indicates slice was nearly 16" long!

    MISC.: Dan Dunford and I agreed that although Cal Ripken breaking the record for the most games played in a row was a phenomenal accomplishment, it should not have been deemed the most memorable 'moment' of baseball history. A streak consisting of over 2,000 games in over 13 seasons exceeds our definition of the word 'moment'. Besides, how could any moment in baseball history be more memorable than when Randy Johnson killed that pigeon with a fastball in spring training last year?

    Sunday, October 27, 2002

    Day 27, 2002: City Girl Cafe (Cambridge, MA)




    DAY 27: October 27th
    LOCATION: City Girl Cafe (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
    GUEST: Brian Wadell, Joy Masters, Anne Marie Rose, Erik Marcisak, Jim Baron (not pictured)
    ORDER: 3 slices of pepperoni
    PIZZA REPORT: Gourmet is good. Rather than going to a NY style pizzeria, we came upon this quaint sidewalk cafe that served gourmet style pizza. I call it 'gourmet' because all of the ingredients were fresh and because it wasn't NY style. The crust was thin but sturdy enough. Out of habit I folded my slice, causing the outermost crust ring to crumble slightly (but not enough to sacrifice any topping). The cheese was hot and there was excellent pepperoni coverage. The sauce, called 'dori' for short, was a bit on the tangy side. 'Dori' which was short for something but I forget what. Perhaps 'tangy-dori' or perhaps not. Anyway, it was good pizza even though our nose-ringed pizza maker has never actually even tasted her own pizza.
    MISC.: Brian Wadell was conceived in Boston. Erik Marcisak uses 'err-ah' quite often when mocking a Bostonian. Joy Masters is not a fan of Erik's Bostonian. Jim Baron and Anne Marie Rose do sweet things for each other.

    Saturday, October 26, 2002

    Day 26, 2002: A&S Pizzeria (St. George, Staten Island)

    DAY 26: October 26th
    LOCATION: A&S Pizzeria (Stuyvesant St and Wall St, STATEN ISLAND)
    GUEST: Amy Kuhn, Erik Tanouye
    ORDER: 2 slices of mushroom, 1 slice of pepperoni
    PIZZA REPORT: Average but still pretty good. This pizza was freshly cooked New York style but was not A-one by any means. I enjoyed that it was New York pizza with big crust and foldable slices, but the red edges an uneven cheese distribution prevented the pizza from reaching the top tier. I did thoroughly enjoy my slices and the Staten Island abience.
    MISC.: Erik Tanouye, Amy Kuhn, and I went on a walking tour of Staten Island that consisted of seeing the SI Yankees ballpark, the interior of the ferry terminal, and not being a victim of a crime or landfill.

    Friday, October 25, 2002

    Day 25, 2002: La Pizza Fresca (Flatiron, NYC)

    DAY 25: October 25th
    LOCATION: La Pizza Fresca (20th St bet Broadway and Park Ave S, NYC)
    GUEST: Terry Jinn, Will McLaughlin, Andrew Butterworth, Kevin Hines, Jane Borden, Porter Mason, Brian Fountain, Eli Newell, Dannah Feinglass, Paul Scheer
    ORDER: 2 slices of La Pizza Fresca
    PIZZA REPORT: The pits! This pizza is delicious, however, you must beware that the olives are not pitted. La Pizza Fresca is made in a wood-burning brick oven and topped with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and olives (with pits). Even if you're not aware of the pits or even if you don't know how to eat a cherry tomato without making a mess you will still enjoy this pizza. The crust is thin, warm, and soft which is ideal when it comes to crust ratings. I was also pleased at the care that was given to properly distribute both the sauce and the cheese uniformly about the pie. Good work, La Pizza Fresca.
    MISC.:
  • Terry Jinn (author of ‘My daily beverage’) sat on the other end of the table and was flanked by Porter Mason, Brian Fountain, and Eli Newell. I couldn't hear what they were saying but they looked to be having a good time.
  • Will McLaughlin, Kevin Hines, Andrew Butterworth, and I began discussing Elijah the prophet but digressed into making puns... like finding out that Jane Borden used to go to borden' school when she was younger.
  • Watch Dannah Feinglass and Paul Scheer are going to be on kitty cat television. Watch it and tape it…but keep the paws off. Oops, another pun.
  • Thursday, October 24, 2002

    Day 24, 2002: Amish Market (Financial District, NYC)

    DAY 24: October 24rd
    LOCATION: Amish Market (17 Battery Place, NYC)
    GUEST: Zohar Adner and ------- ------
    ORDER: 2 slices of funghi, 2 slices of parmigiana
    PIZZA REPORT: Choke Gu'zelle! That's Turkish for 'very beautiful'. The people that work at Amish Market are Turkish (not Amish) and could probably have told me how to say 'very tasty' but I forgot to ask them. This pizza was very delicious and the irony is that I used to live in Turkey (when I was in fourth and fifth grade) and used to abhor Turkish pizza. There was a place there called Pizza Hat that made pizza just like Pizza Hut in the States except with no sauce. When you asked for sauce, they would bring you a bottle of ketchup. Yuck. But 'yuck' is the last thing I would say about Amish Market pizza (unless 'yuck' means 'tasty' in Turkish). These oven-fired gems looked and tasted great-especially the funghi pizza. Funghi pizza has just right amount of mushrooms resting atop the perfect amount of melted fresh mozzarella cheese. The parmigiana pizza also tasted great but might have suffered from a minor case of OTS (Overloaded Toppings Syndrome). I still ate two huge slices though so not even OTS can take down good Amish Market pizza. Hey, maybe 'Amish' means 'tasty' in Turkish. Who knows? Choke Amish!
    MISC.: Zohar Adner reminded me that picking apples is a great date idea. It's both inexpensive and creative. My new friend/Zohar's co-worker codes websites and talks candidly about intimate topics. Too bad she's already engaged or we may have gone apple-picking one day.

    Wednesday, October 23, 2002

    Day 23, 2002: Frank's Pizza (Flatiron, NYC)

    DAY 23: October 23rd
    LOCATION: Frank's Pizza (23rd St bet. Lex and Park Ave S, NYC)
    GUEST: Andrew Butterworth
    ORDER: 1 slice of cheese, 1 slice of Sicilian cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Saucy but not quite good. I really enjoyed the tomato sauce on both slices, but the fatal flaw was 'the rest'. The crust was both undercooked and too thick. After supersaturating 5 napkins sopping up the puddle atop my pizza, I determined that these slices were also too greasy. The cheese, however, was the icing on the cake (only more like the ‘iced tea on the cake’). It looked, felt, and tasted like plastic. Looking at my uneaten slices I was reminded of a time when I used to work for Pizza Hut. We used to put these plastic box supports in the middle of the pie after it left the oven so the cheese wouldn't end up on the underside of the pizza box-top. Well, one time we wanted to see what would happen if we put the plastic box support on before the pie went into the oven so we did it. The box support melted into the cooked pizza giving the appearance of fresh mozzarella cheese in the center of the pie. We had a good laugh and began making a replacement but by that time, a driver had already cut it, boxed it, and walked out the door to deliver it. Anyway, the people that received this pizza probably ended up eating about an ounce and a half of plastic...much like I felt I did at Frank's pizza today.
    MISC.: Today marks the first time I was stood up by a friend for a pizza meal during pizza month. Apparently, this endeavor is more important to me than it is to my friend, Ilya Magazanin*. Luckily, Andy Butterworth stepped up when I needed him. He not only went to lunch with me but politely pointed out that the cheese on my Sicilian slice looked like a brain.

    *If anyone would like to send Ilya an anonymous msg, feel free to do so here:
        

    Tuesday, October 22, 2002

    Day 22, 2002: Teatro Pizza Creations (Midtown, NYC)

    DAY 22: October 22nd
    LOCATION: Teatro Pizza Creations (44th St bet. 7th and 8th ave, NYC)
    GUEST: Kevin Hines, Erik Tanouye
    ORDER: 1 slice of chicken, 1 slice of sausage
    PIZZA REPORT: Broadway pizza is a lot like a Broadway play; looks good, keeps you interested, but has some weak parts. Oh man, I missed a great opportunity to say that both are a bit ‘cheesy’. Oh yeah, and the seats weren’t all that great especially for the money you have to pay. But back to the pizza…The slices looked great from outside of the store (they’re on display). The ‘red edges’ actually didn’t result from center-loading but instead served to outline a very enticing pizza pie. Both of my slices had very evenly distributed toppings and cheese. In addition, the toppings actually tasted like they were cooked separately and added afterward (the correct order). Too often, the toppings are cooked along with the pizza taking away from the individual tastes each offers and leaving you with merely an average of the two taste components. The ‘weak parts’ I alluded to in the brilliant analogy at top was the sauce. It had this tangy-ness to it that was a tad overpowering. It’s the same type of tangy-ness that you end up revisiting later if you or someone near you belches. Overall, I must say that I did enjoy both slices and ate them rather quickly. Furthermore, if I am ever in the area with a wad a cash and a hankerin’ to eat in tight quarters staring at mirror images of myself, I might consider getting another slice.
    MISC.: I found out that Kevin Hines has skied the Swiss Alps, drunk beer in Germany, and eaten Italian food in Italy. I've done none of these. After the debut of his one-man show, Erik Tanouye fell asleep on the subway again, yet somehow managed to make at least three transfers on his route home last night.

    Monday, October 21, 2002

    Day 21, 2002: Park Pizza (Flatiron, NYC)



    DAY 21: October 21st
    LOCATION: Park Pizza (Park Av S. bet 24th and 25th st, NYC)
    GUEST: Sid Taylor
    ORDER: 2 slices of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Good even still. Ok, it's not coal-fired or brick oven-baked, but it's still quality New York pizza. Happily, both of my slices were very similar in appearance, aroma, and deliciousness. I'm no P.I. (pizza investigator), but obviously these two slices were from the same pie...and what a pie it was! The cheese was spread out evenly, the sauce was hot with small chunks of tomato, and the crust-well, the crust was a tad overdone on one portion but that's just knitpicking. I thoroughly enjoyed my Park pizza today and feel these slices epitomized solid NYC pizza in all ways favorable (and flavorable).
    MISC.: Sid Taylor (my dad) is in NYC on business from Saudi Arabia. He ordered pepperoni on his pizza since pork is illegal in Saudi. Never before had I thought of pepperoni as such a symbolic emblem of freedom. I think I'm going to exercise that freedom on my pizza tomorrow.

    Sunday, October 20, 2002

    Day 20, 2002: Grimaldi's (Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn)





    DAY 20: October 20th
    LOCATION: Grimaldi's (19 Old Fulton St, BROOKLYN)
    GUEST: Julie Tudor, Kitzi Taylor
    ORDER: 3 slices of margherita and 1 slice of pepperoni
    PIZZA REPORT: This pizza was 'out of this world' delicious. Everything from the fresh mozzarella to the imported Italian tomato sauce, to the coal fired oven crust, to even my Coca Cola...this place is great! Mr. Grimaldi detected a land mine with his unique pizza recipe, and this is one land mine I wouldn't mind stepping on again and again for a long time to come!
    MISC.: Julie not only opened my eyes to some of the most delicious edible item in New York City but she also escorted me and Kitzi (my mom) across the Brooklyn Bridge and down through a good portion of lower Manhattan. What a tour! What a city! What a pizza place!


    Saturday, October 19, 2002

    Day 19, 2002: Lombardi's (NoLIta, NYC)




    DAY 19: October 19th
    LOCATION: Lombardi's (Prince St bet. Mott and Lafayette)
    GUEST: Mark Lee, Kitzi Taylor
    ORDER: 2 slices of red onions and wild mushrooms &1.5 slices of pepperoni and sausage
    PIZZA REPORT: Unbelievable! I love Lombardi's pizza. This place breaks the 'unwritten rules' and writes its own. The crust looked a bit overdone and I was afraid the pizzas may have been 'center-loaded' but all was forgiven when I put it in my mouth. The crust was soft and chewy and the toppings were all evenly cooked. I was also concerned to see the red edges around the perimeter of the crust...but this too was completely forgiven when I discovered that somehow this added to the slice's deliciousness. Everything done 'wrong' was done intentionally! Now that I have met with Lombardi's, my entire 'pizza paradigm' must be reevaluated.
    MISC.:

  • Lombardi's pizza is the model for all pizzeria's to be judged against...and that is not an exageration. Mark told me (and backed it up with credible research) that Lombardi's was the first United States pizzeria when it opened in NYC in 1905.



  • Mark, Kitzi (my mom), and I all agreed that terrorism is bad and should be stopped, but that obnoxious security guards are not the best way to deal with the current situation.
  • Friday, October 18, 2002

    Day 18, 2002: Pronto Pizza (Midtown, NYC)

    DAY 18: October 18th
    LOCATION: Pronto Pizza (8th ave bet. 36th and 37th st)
    GUEST: Chris Butler, Marian Rosin, Kevin Cragg, Kevin Hines, Erik Tanouye
    ORDER: 2 slices of plain
    PIZZA REPORT: Waxy. I don't know how else to describe the pizza here. Although it physically looked great (with only a burn blemish here and there), the consistency of both slices reminded me of eating Halloween wax fangs--not quite as sweet though. I guess as it gets closer to Halloween, maybe Pronto pizza gets more like actual wax fangs. Aside from being a bit on the chewy side, I did eat both slices rather quickly. Also, at $1/slice, I'm getting my wax fangs at half price.
    MISC.: Erik Tanouye and Kevin Hines set the record for dropping the word 'Pronto' in everyday conversation during the course of a single meal (new record: 43 times). In addition, we were all fortunate enough to witness the debut of Chris Butler's 'New York Post' stand up routine. Final verdict...12 thumbs up (including Chris's). Bravo, Chris! or should I say 'Pronto'!?!

    Thursday, October 17, 2002

    Day 17, 2002: CSFB Data Center (Princeton, NJ)

    DAY 17: October 17th
    LOCATION: Credit Suisse/First Boston Data Center (Princeton, NJ)
    GUEST: Andrew Butterworth
    ORDER: 1 slice of peeled tomato
    PIZZA REPORT: Who said corporate cafeterias can't make good pizza? The answer is me. I felt like I was eating tomato sauce on cardboard only with less taste. They must bake it, then store for a week, then reheat it in order to lose so much pizza potential. Not that it matters, but the cheese and tomatoes were well distributed. Also, I did eat the entire so I guess it shows that even when pizza is bad, it's still stomachable (well, so far).
    MISC.: Andrew and I found out today that the CSFB data repository's command center offers 24 hour support, 7 days a week for seven different O/S platforms; UNIX, NT, VAX, AS400, MVS, and Tandem!

    Wednesday, October 16, 2002

    Day 16, 2002: Li'l Frankie's (E. Village, NYC)

    DAY 16: October 16th
    LOCATION: Lil' Frankie's (1st Ave bet 1st and 2nd st, NYC)
    GUEST: Matt Pack
    ORDER: 6" Marguerita pizza, 6" Marinara pizza
    PIZZA REPORT: Music to my mouth. Lil' Frankie's makes brick oven thin crusted pizza that really makes my mouth water. This place knows that thin crust pizza cannot endure the weight of too many toppings so it puts only the amount necessary. Despite being a miniature version of a regular size pizza, all four slices that made up each of the pizzas were fold-able but not too brittle (another danger of thin crust pizza that Lil' Frankie's avoids). From a taste standpoint, I prefered the Marguerita, but the Marinara had a nice kick to it.
    MISC.: Matt told me that he saw a commercial for ESPN basketball featuring Billy Merritt. Isn't that cool? I think it is. I love recognizing people on TV. I'll definitely tune into ESPN now. Maybe I'll even watch a basketball game this year.

    Tuesday, October 15, 2002

    Day 15, 2002: The Pizzeria (W. Village, NYC)

    DAY 15: October 15th
    LOCATION: The Pizzeria (MacDougal St bet. 3rd and Bleecker)
    GUEST: Kevin Hines
    ORDER: 1 slice of cheese, 1 slice of fresh mozzarella
    PIZZA REPORT: New York pizza- nothing more, nothing less. My slice of cheese was a model for wanna-be New York pizza parlors. The size, cheese distribution, and sauce quantity was ideal in both appearance and taste. The Pizzeria's crust, however, is what 'sealed the deal' for me. Not only was it the happy medium between too chewy and too crunchy but the entire circumference of the pie was smooth and even. Sometimes the greatest pies are spoiled by uneven or 'pinched' edges.
    While eating the slice of fresh mozzarella, I had a 'misbite' which sent chills running down my spine--but it's difficult and unfair to pin the blame on such a great tasting slice of pizza...so I won't.
    MISC.: Today's the Ides of October. Learning from Caesar, I have been on the lookout for friends to betray me all day. Kevin Hines passed the test at lunch, but there are still 8 hours of potential betrayal remaining in this godforsaken day.

    Monday, October 14, 2002

    Day 14, 2002: Pizza Italia (Financial District, NYC)

    DAY 14: October 14th
    LOCATION: Pizza Italia (Whitehall St & Stone St, NYC)
    GUEST: Zohar Adner, Geoff Carlson, Andrew Butterworth
    ORDER: 1 slice of broccoli, 1 slice of Grandma's
    PIZZA REPORT: Wall Street Goodness! I chose the broccoli and the grandma's slice because those seemed to be the signature pies of Pizza Italia. I've never seen so much broccoli on a slice of pizza before. Because of their shape, eating my slice was like eating a tiny forest (with cheese). They did a really good job of distributing the cheese between the broccoli bits and making it taste really good. The grandma slice was unquestionably delightful. This is because the sauce was both tasty and spread expertly (and grandma-ly) about the entire slice.
    MISC.: There is a big metallic (anatomically correct) bull at the south end of the canyon of champions in downtown NYC. Within the span of five minutes, me, Zohar, and Andy witnessed three groups of tourists representing three different nationalities walk by the bull, notice its testicles, laugh at them, pose in a lewd photo with them, then laugh again.
    Metallic bull balls...proof positive that good humor is truly universal.

    Sunday, October 13, 2002

    Day 13, 2002: Rosa's Pizza (Maspeth, Queens)




    DAY 13: October 13th
    LOCATION: Rosa's Pizza (69th st & Clinton Ave, QUEENS)
    GUEST: Erik Marcisak, Amy Kuhn
    ORDER: 1 slice of original, 1 slice of Grandma's pie
    PIZZA REPORT: Sicilian style scrumptious! Alliteration that is very accurate. Rosa's signature pizzas are the original and the grandma's pie sicilian style pizzas. I had a slice of each. Although I should probably have some different system of judging rectangular (sicilian) pizza than I have for round pizza, I'm not going to. The toppings on the original were well distributed, the crust had a firm yet chewy consistency, and the cheese combination (mozzarella and parmesan) was perfect. This was also true for the slice of grandma's pie...but 'grandma' must be some sort of sicilian contraction for 'garlic and basil'-cuz that's what I got.
    MISC.: This meal saw the reunion of Erik with a friend years past. Also, thanks to Amy, I learned just how contagious and dangerous small pox can be if released on the general populace.

    Saturday, October 12, 2002

    Day 12, 2002: Two Boots (E. Village, NYC)



    DAY 12: October 12th
    LOCATION: Two Boots (Ave A bet. 3rd & 4th st, NYC)
    GUEST: Dan Dunford
    ORDER: 1 slice of Red, 1 slice of Bayou Beast
    PIZZA REPORT: Beast is the best, Red is the rest. I worded it that way because it rhymed but that is also the order I ate them in and the verdict I gave them. Bayou Beast is a signature dish with crayfish, shrimp, scallions, cheese, and jalapenos. 'Signature' because for those of you (like me) that don't know 'Two boots' refers to the shape of the two areas which influenced the cuisine; Italy and Lousiana. The Bayou Beast reminded me of all of what's good with pizza. The toppings were evenly distributed, cooked thoroughly, and absolutely delicious. It was the perfect foil to the other slice I injested; the Red. Really the main complaint I had with 'Red' was the pesto crust. It was too thick and...well, I don't like pesto.
    MISC.: Found out today, thanks to Dan Dunford's baseball expertise, that I am in possession of a collector's item New York Mets pennant. This information combined with the fact Dan paid for my pizza was the silver lining on this otherwise rainy day.

    Friday, October 11, 2002

    Day 11, 2002: Famiglia (Midtown, NYC)

    DAY 11: October 11th
    LOCATION: Famiglia (8th ave bet 43rd and 44th st, NYC)
    GUEST: Marian Rosin, Kevin Hines, Erik Tanouye
    ORDER: 1 slice of Pizza Margherita
    PIZZA REPORT: Los deli-she-oso! The orginal pizza margherita's toppings were designed to resemble the Italian flag...my slice today did exactly that. The basil leaves were green, the fresh mozzarella was white, and the tomatoes were red. I have to admit I was a bit hesitant to eat a slice of pizza so white, as white tends to indicate undercooked cheese. But I went for it anyway and intend on doing it again. I just hope in the future I don't accidently eat a real Italian flag.
    MISC.: While Kevin and Erik discussed animated films and Buffy, Marian and I expressed our opinions on the bleak state of our economy. Eventually the conversations converged as talk shifted to the elephant in the room. Turns out, elephants really enjoy Famiglia's pizza.

    Thursday, October 10, 2002

    Day 10, 2002: Due Amici (Astoria, Queens)

    DAY 10: October 10th
    LOCATION: Due Amici (30th ave & 49th St, QUEENS)
    GUEST: Erik Tanouye
    ORDER: 1 slice of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Idyllic. The sauce, cheese, and crust were all great. All the things this slice wasn't: overly greasy, red edgy, overcooked, too small, painful to my mouth.
    MISC.: Erik and I went to our favorite local pizza place here in Astoria, Queens. It's never let us down in the past and the streak continues (even on a near-binary day like today). Yes it's 10/10/02, which-as Erik and I discovered- is actually 2/2/2 if the day and month were in binary converted to base 10 and the year were already in base 10. Also, there are four (4) zeros in the expanded date (10/10/2002) which won't happen again for another ten days! And furthur, if you were to look at the '/' like a computer and actually divide '10' into '10' into '2002' it would be the day '2002' (because the tens would cancel. And you thought it was just any ordinary 'October 10th'...

    Wednesday, October 9, 2002

    Day 9, 2002: Carpo's Cafe (W. Village, NYC)

    DAY 9: October 9th
    LOCATION: Carpo's Cafe (Bleecker at MacDougal St, NYC)
    GUEST: Erik Tanouye, Amy Kuhn, Andy Butterworth
    ORDER: half pie of chicken parm, quarter pie of fresh mozzarella, quarter pie of vegetable
    PIZZA REPORT: Pretty darn tasty even thorough the sore mouth. The crust was stiff yet unburnt, sauce was really red but not too tomato-y, and the cheese was awesome. My favorite slice was the fresh mozzarella one. Although it looks like a flock of crack-shot pigeons flew over just as the pie was being served, it tasted like a piece of heaven. It was like inverse pepperoni...red with white circles, but delicious nonetheless.
    MISC.: We ate pizza in observance of two remarkable events; Erik Tanouye's 25th birthday and Andy and my one year anniversary of working at Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB). We commemorated the events by eating ourselves silly and thinking of new ways to flip someone off.

    Tuesday, October 8, 2002

    Day 8, 2002: John's Pizzeria (W. Village, NYC)

    DAY 8: October 8th
    LOCATION: John's Pizzeria (278 Bleecker St, NYC)
    GUEST: Kevin Hines, Will Hines, Andy Butterworth
    ORDER: 2 slices of cheese, 2 slices of meatball
    PIZZA REPORT: Wow! After eating each of four slices of this masterfully cooked brick oven delight, I continued to want more (although from a lactose point of view it was good I stopped at four). Some people prefer sauce on top of cheese, some prefer cheese on top of sauce...but at John's, you can have both! Although most of any given slice is topped with cheese, without exception, there exists a place on the slice where the sauce is exposed to the surface. These 'sauce pockets' are like the treasured treat of each slice. Either you're in the middle of eating one or you are quickly working your way to one. Some might call these 'sauce pockets' a mistake, but I'm a firm believer in motto 'there are no mistakes in pizza'...especially not John's pizza.
    MISC.: Two things...

  • I sustained my first PRI (Pizza Related Injury) yesterday when I began eating my slice of pepperoni too soon after it came out of the oven-burning a portion of the roof of my mouth. While eating today's thick-crusted brick oven pizza I may have re-aggrevated it. Although my mouth is sore, I will continue my pursuit. I only mention because it wouldn't be true to the 'full-disclosure' promise I may have made if I kept this PRI to myself.
  • I was honored to be present as the Hines brothers nominated and selected the official 'Top 10 Best Animated Movies'. The list was thoughtfully compiled and is extremely accurate. If you would like to see how good your guesses were, the list is currently in the posession of Will Hines.
  • Monday, October 7, 2002

    Day 7, 2002: Joe's Pizza (W. Village, NYC)

    DAY 7: October 7th
    LOCATION: Joe's Pizza (Carmine & Bleeker st, NYC)
    GUEST: Matt Pack
    ORDER: 1 slice of pepperoni, 1 slice of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Brilliant! Aside from a slightly burnt crust on the pepperoni slice, this place is pizza-perfect. They used conventional oven process to produce brick oven results. Combine this brick oven crust consistency with great tasting sauce and Joe's has created a pizza masterpiece.
    Q:Hey, Joe, what'dya know?
    A: Pizza
    MISC.: Today, not only did my taste buds meet something nice, but I did too. I met Matt Pack (UCB level 2 student). He and I both like improv and pizza, thus setting a firm foundation for a solid friendship.

    Sunday, October 6, 2002

    Day 6, 2002: La Villa Pizza (Midtown, NYC)

    DAY 6: October 6th
    LOCATION: La Villa Pizza (Herald Sq bet. 34th and 35th, NYC)
    GUEST: Amy Kuhn
    ORDER: 1 slice of Cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Mmm...mmm....aah, man! burnt crust!
    MISC: Did you know Macy's closes at 7pm on Sundays? I didn't. Me and Amy ended up going to seeRed Dragon instead of buying me a tennis racquet and dress socks.

    Saturday, October 5, 2002

    Day 5, 2002: Anthony's (E. Village, NYC)



    DAY 5: October 5th

    LOCATION: Anthony's (2nd Ave bet. 10th and 11th st, NYC)
    GUEST: Matt Decoster, Chris Butler, Lauren Snyder, Kevin Cragg, Kevin Hines, Marian Rosin
    ORDER: 1 slice of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Near perfection...although I stress the word 'near'. The sauce and cheese distribution was just right, but the crust was just a little brittle. I discovered this while attempting to fold my slice together for quicker (and more New Yorky) injestion. All along the crease the slice of pizza bifurcated. I wouldn't have noticed except the sauce and cheese began to leak through the cracks and burn my hand.
    MISC.: Attached is a snapshot of the post-meal euphoria that me and the participants experienced. I splurged and bought a cherry coke which I poured into a styrofoam cup full of ice and shared with Matt Decoster. It was the perfect end to a near perfect slice (once again I stress the word 'near'). I'd describe the cherry coke in more detail, but I'll leave that to resident daily beverage expert, Terry Jinn. Terry--if you haven't had it yet, give it a shot. It's perfect after 18 holes of lousy golf but will do at anytime.

    Friday, October 4, 2002

    Day 4, 2002: da Vinci's (Bensonhurst, Brooklyn)

    DAY 4: October 4th
    LOCATION: da Vinci's (18th ave bet. 65th and 66th st, BRKLYN)
    GUEST: Eric Del Pozo
    ORDER: 3 slices of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: This pizza was a work of art. When I hear "da Vinci" I used think of the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, a before-its-time design for a heliocopter, and a ninja turtle that leads...but not anymore. From now on, I will only think of delicious pizza when I hear "da Vinci" or anything sounding similar (like when my landlord says 'the windshield'). The secret is in the sauce. Turns out the sauce is imported directly from Italy.
    MISC: I must confess, I ate 2 slices of cheese for lunch that I didn't report because I always eat two slices of cheese for lunch on Friday. Before this 'pizza month' began, there was 'pizza day' and the fact they overlap this month is no fault of my own.

    Thursday, October 3, 2002

    Day 3, 2002: Anna Maria's Pizza and Pasta (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

    DAY 3: October 3rd
    LOCATION: Anna Maria's Pizza and Pasta (7th st and Bedford, BRKLYN)
    GUEST: Erik Marcisak
    ORDER: 1 slice of Veggie
    PIZZA REPORT: This slice of pizza had every vegetable imaginable including artichokes, broccoli, black olives, cauliflower, lettuce, tomato, and onion. This came at the expense of a consistently cooked slice of pizza. There is a critical mass when it comes to pizza and this slice doubled it. Anna Maria's illustrated that when it comes to pizza, 'more' does not always mean better...or evenly cooked.
    MISC: Erik seemed very pleased with his pizza and he's been in NYC much longer than I have. That being said, I think I will give Anna Maria's another shot...just not this month.

    Wednesday, October 2, 2002

    Day 2, 2002: Ultimate Pizza (Sutton Place, NYC)

    DAY 2: October 2nd
    LOCATION: Ultimate Pizza (1st ave @ 57th St)
    GUEST: Chris Butler, Andy Butterworth
    ORDER: 2 slices of cheese
    PIZZA REPORT: Absolutely delicious. The slices were just the right size (roughly 12"x12"x3π"). In addition, the crust was crunchy yet chewy which is a tough balance to attain. I was very pleased with the entire eating process and thank Chris for his excellent choice of the 'Ultimate Pizza'.
    MISC.: Andy Butterworth perceptively pointed out that an alternate defintion of 'ultimate pizza' is 'last pizza'. Well, while this was delicious, it's far from my 'last pizza' so we'll have to save that interpretation until October 31st.