A Family Torn Apart by Pizza

‘Sally vs. Frank’

I have been serving as a jury member this last week, causing my life to somehow become legal in every way.
For example, Biceps tries to sneak a bite from my plate and I adamantly yell, ‘I object!’. Cowboy is currently awaiting trial for a misdemeanor-he bit my hand while I was petting him.

I just needed some time to cool off before the judgement.

All of that said, I found it only fitting to talk about some legal issues as they pertain to my touring lifestyle.

And as they pertain to pizza. Lovely, warm, cheesy pizza.

In New Haven, CT. there are two rivaling pizzeria’s:

Frank Pepe’s…(yes, that’s the most handsome man in the world-Biceps)…

…and Sally’s Apizza Restaurant.

With family ties involved, the story of the two pizzeria’s becomes very interesting.

Both restaurant’s are ancient and have lines of people waiting around the block before they open.

And both have a fantastic end product. Oh, this is making me so hungry just looking at it.

If you’ve never had a coal fired pizza….you have never lived.

Now, here’s the problem:

Frank’s nephew, Sal (Sally’s), split off from the family business and opened up his own pizzeria.

Sal then set up shop on Wooster Street.

Frank Pepe’s was already on Wooster Street several years before.

Tempers flare not only the Pepe family, but New Havenites, as well.

I say-stop the fighting-and try both pizzeria’s.

Do it because it’s the right thing to do.

Do it because you need to be impartial, leaving your prejudices at the door.

And do it because your tummy will thank you. Many times over will it thank you.

The world doesn’t have to be full of Sally’s vs. Frank’s. Let’s change this world to ‘Sally’s and Frank’s’.

Or at least Sally’s and Frank’s in the same day. Yum.

Victory for the North!

On a recent trip to the northern tundra of Minneapolis-Biceps, his mother and I-went window shopping.
We came across a store named, ‘Victory’, that changed our lives. Well, at least Biceps’ life.
Because of ‘Victory’, he will actually consider the color blue in a decorating sense. And mustard gold.
And for that, I am forever thankful.

The owner, Kerry Ciardelli, and I must have been separated at birth. She knows everything that makes my little heart skip a beat.

Every corner held a new delight to study…and then study again, because I had missed something.

I will take all of these, please. Geoffrey-please pack these up and send them to the car.

The portraits, the zebra head, the gold mirror-I cannot believe a woman that I have never met knows my style, oh so well.
I love everything about this place.

My eyes surveyed the exquisite fabrics, the white porcelain coral, the hand-made journals and thank you notes, and I realized that I had gone to my happy place.
I was overwhelmed and didn’t want to ever leave. Except for that nagging feeling of needing coffee. So, that motivated me a bit to quit loitering…

The store and its owner knows nothing about me or the fact that I am blogging about them. If you are in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis, you should stop by. But don’t tell them that I told you to do so. That won’t get you anywhere.

Give me the Gelato and I promise I’ll be good.

While on assignment, (I have always wanted to say that), I discovered a tasty little treat in downtown Tulsa.
Mod’s Coffee and Crepes has everything your little sweet tooth desires. Let me just repeat the name: Coffee and Crepes. But then add to that list: Gelato, Salads and Soups. Anything that you could ever want is right there for the taking.
I am not getting paid by Mod’s, nor do I get any gelato kick-backs for this. I just wanted to share with all of you something that I found pretty dang cool. Pun totally intended.

The staff at Mod’s is unprecedentedly nice. I mean it-they are just darn good people. The niceness of employees at any establishment is becoming more and more important to me as I get old and cantankerous.

Mod’s is situated in the historic Philtower Building on Boston Street in downtown Tulsa.
The building is a gorgeous masterpiece from the oil boom era.

As I sipped my delicious latte, I gazed upon the marbled walls and the gold-encrusted ceiling of the Philtower. I pictured the hatted ladies and the suit-clad men that had hurried through these halls long ago; smoking cigarettes and reading newspapers.

The faint scent of a cooking crepe brought me back to reality, reminding me of the fact that I was wearing cowboy boots-not a fancy dress with pearls.

And obviously, the gelato is outrageously good. I only had a teensy bite and my stomach craved more…much more. Biceps and I just might have to make this a date night spot. If you are in the downtown Tulsa area, stop by Mod’s Coffee and Crepes.
You won’t be sorry.