My Pizza Blog

I have not written in this blog for a while, but I have more recently in my pizza blog.  And I have two more entries to do today.
My pizza blog is found at www.50waystocheesepizza.blogspot.com and there is a link here for it.

At the beginning of the year I listened to a podcast where a woman described a year of trying out hamburgers in St Louis and I thought I would try the same thing here in Columbus with cheese pizza. And beginning with the daunting task of trying 50 different pizza places this year.  I am not at 14 - so I am moving through it.

My only qualitfications were: it has to be a restaurant with a waitress so that I am served the pizza.  And bonus points for beer on the menu. 

I write today to reflect on what I am learning so far.

1. Cheese pizza has the potential to be pretty bland.  And I have been surprised by how many times I find that.
2. A bad cheese pizza does not mean a bad restaurant - several times I have gone to restaurants and decided i am coming back - but not ordering the pizza.
3. Ambiance is really important to me in the pizza eating business. I notice the music and the noisiness of a place.  I have an appreciation for both quirky restaurants and classy ones.
4. This has been a great experience to eat pizza with other people and to hear their responses.  It is, of course, fun to be with grandchildren but also  - like last week - with three older men.  All of it makes this experience different than I imagined.
5. This has been a bonding experience with Chuck.  He thinks about where to go next a whole lot more than I do.  And he is always proud of himself when he has a coupon.
6. I find myself noticing more than ever before - noticing the flooring, the tablecloths, the music, the decorations.  Just this is a good thing overall.  It is so easy to be unconscious about everything but yourself.
7. . Every time I go now I look for some kind of a hook that might make this more interesting - like when Chuck falls on the way to the restaurant (Pies and Pints) or the tip suggestion is way out of line (Giamarcos.)
8. While this kind of a "task" I have taken on for 2016, I find it is invariably a source of fun for me that I get to share with other people.
9. The least important part of any of this - it turns out - is how good the pizza is.  Who knew?