Tale of the Pie: Nonna Rosa Pizzeria and Restaurant

Another Friday, another pizza. This time, we decided to try out Nonna Rosa Pizzeria and Restaurant. Until Lent is over, pepperoni and buffalo wings are an absolute no-no, so we ordered a plain pie with extra sauce and a mozzarella sticks appetizer.

The pie was delivered in a fair amount of time for a pizza joint in the heart of No-Meat season. I would say it arrived about 45 minutes after the phone call. Even better, the delivery guy showed an admirable amount of honesty when, after he had quoted me the price of $18 (an affordable price for a large pie and sticks), I stated that I had a $2 coupon. Instead of just saying it had already been taken off, which I would have believed, he shaved the price of the coupon off of the $18. This act, along with the fact that Nonna Rosa has yet to jump on the delivery charge revolution, earned the delivery guy a very hearty 25 percent tip.

Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Long Trail Pollenator

Long Trail Pollenator

I first picked up this spring ale for the cute cartoon bear on the label. From the name, I thought it might taste too much like honey. It turned out to not taste like much at all. And yet I am drinking my sixth one. Something is wrong with me.

2011 Phillies Preview...After Reviewing Three Games

Yeah, I guess this isn't really a preview, huh? I did already see three games. Good thing, too! If I hadn't I probably would have been ringing the alarm bells along with everyone else!

CHASE UTLEY IS HURT!

DOMINIC BROWN BROKE HIS HAND!

BRAD LIDGE CAN'T THROW A BASEBALL!

JAYSON WERTH'S BEARD IS PLAYING FOR THE WASHINGTON LAUGHINGSTOCKS!

Yes, the reasons for concern were out there! But after watching three games, one thing is already clear:

Ten Quick Thoughts on...The Fighter

1. It's funny how there was a Christian Bale backlash around awards season talking about how he played Dicky Eklund over the top. I don't know, the guy was a crackhead, and if you have ever seen footage of the real guy, he is a kook. As Eklund, Bale was never less than interesting. The movie usually benefitted when he was on the screen. Now, I guess an argument can be made that that shouldn't be what being a great "supporting actor" is about. But, for me, I thought it was a great performance. Plus, if anyone deserves one of these performances, it's Bale. He has been playing the anchor to a wildman performance since, what, American Psycho?

How Stupid Does Domino's Pizza Think We Are?

First, Domino's Pizza's nefarious CEO Patrick Doyle had the balls to tell us that people who think they are sitting in a bland conference room ragging on their pizza were somehow magically transported to a field of tomatoes, and now they are trying to make us swallow the idea that this blithering idiot Tate Dillow is responsible for the chicken at all of their 9,000 corporate and franchise locations! This, quite simply, is not physically possible. I refuse to believe that this guy, like some sort of pizza version of Fight Club's Tyler Durden, is flying from city to city making sure that every order of Domino's buffalo chicken wings is cooked to meat some sort of pre-set ideal. I don't care how many spices he sprinkles in for the cameraman's affirmation. I say that this Tate guy is a fraud. But I don't know. Maybe he does have some sort of mystical power for space-and-time manipulation. Meet the fellow and decide for yourself:

Chain Reaction: Papa John's

One of the wife's favorite pastimes is ragging on me for liking Papa John's pizza. She says it isn't authentic enough. That no self-respecting Italian person would eat it. And I don't know, maybe she's right. All I know is that when you order a pizza from Papa John's you know what you are going to get. The sauce may be a little too sweet, but it isn't bland or watery. If you ask for extra sauce, the supposed artisan who is making your pie won't get insulted and drench your pie like a fireman trying to put out a five-alarm blaze. Will your pie seem like it derived from a masterclass on pizzamaking? No, but nine out of ten times you will be guaranteed NOT to receive a bust! It was this thought that drove me to ask the wife if we could get a Papa John's pizza on this evening. We needed to eat something without meat. They were running an ad for some sort of Tuscan Six-Cheese pizza, and it just seemed like a perfect fit. Surprisingly, the wife agreed, an order was placed, and, about a half-hour later, the pizza had arrived.

Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Sly Fox Pikeland Pils

Sly Fox Pikeland Pils

After I play basketball, I need something to rehydrate me and restore all of my essential proteins and minerals and stuff. Yes, I need to have a beer. And it needs to be in a can. Less effort to open. This smooth pilsner is my sports drink of choice.