Pizza Crawl - First Cheese, part 3

Thought Id get the comments going after round 3 of the multi-series of Pizza Crawls that have taken place in order to find what I will just call, "the most preferred" pizza in Miami. Though I didnt participate in round 2, Id have to say that last night's round 3 had to be the weakest of the bunch even though it was the most convenient since all the pizza joints we tried we all within walking distance of one another. Here are my thoughts on last night's contestants:

Sosta - Very sharp looking pizza joint, complete with high ceilings, metallic colors, wine bottles lining the walls, and a manager(?) donning a suit with an open collar, Miami style. I found that a tad funny. This is pizza we're talking about. There was also an ample amount of staff inside and outside to take care of all the diners. The one thing that kinda turned me off from the get go was the selections of pizzas on the menu. Many were the EXACT same pizzas as Spris, right down to the names. Now, I can understand that there are staple pies that every place is gonna have but this menu just seemed like the Nexxt Cafe/Cheesecake Factory kind of similarity. We ordered 4 different pies, including the namesake "Sosta". The only ones that were any sort of memorable were the Sosta and another one with anchovies and capers and those were maybe above average pies, nothing to write home to mom and dad about. There was also a carpaccio pizza that was decent. The other one was obviously forgettable because I dont recall what it was. Overall, this one got a "C+" grade from me for the pizza and an "A" for the gorgeous blonde hostess who sat our table.

Piola - I liked the vibe of this place. High ceilings, lots of booths and tables, and a little bar by the entrance too. No glitz or glamour, just a hangout spot. Unfortunately, I didnt like the pizza at all. I thought all of the 4 pies we tried were just bland. The carbonara pizza, my favorite kind of pizza, was loaded with cheese and little toppings. Tasted more like a sausage pizza, actually. The one white pizza we got with catupiry cheese, hearts of palm, and artichokes tasted like nothing. Literally zero taste except maybe a little creaminess from the cheese. One of the pies we had was a "Neapolitan style" that was supposed to be a thicker crust and had anchovies and some other veg on it. It did have a thicker crust, except I couldnt tell how much thicker since I forgot to bring my micrometer. It was more like, "we made a smaller pizza interior and just pushed more dough to the outside for crust rather than stretching it like we do on every other pizza." The other pizza we had I dont quite recall though I believe sundried tomatoes were involved. That or it was one with cherry tomatoes that was really, really watery. Overall, I give this place a "B+" for vibe and a "D-" for pizza.

Spris - Ok, so Im a huge fan of Spris and obviously my opinions were going to be skewed from the get go. Not for nothing, but I really wanted to find a place better than Spris because sometimes that place is just too damn crowded. Well, I didnt. Spris was the unanimous winner of the night. It was like watching an old Tyson fight where his opponent gets knocked out 23 seconds into the first round and fans sit there in awe, wondering why they just paid $29.99 for 23 seconds of Pay Per View. We shouldve just done 3 visits to Spris and tried 12 of their many pizzas. Having seriously hyped up Spris' Carbonara pizza in round 1 and earlier in the night, I was eager to get its awesomeness in my system while also slightly afraid that the other diners wouldnt share my admiration for this pie. For the most part, I think it stood up to the hype, although I gotta say that this is a pie that should be split between 2-3 people MAX in order to really enjoy the sunny side up egg in the middle and all its yolky goodness. The egg, thin sliced pancetta, and shaved parmesan just rock together. I think the group's favorite, however, was the "Patata e Panchetta" pizza that came with thin slices of potato, pancetta, mozzarella, rosemary and shaved parmesan. That one really impressed me as Id never had it and I could see myself possibly getting one instead of the carbonara next time Im there. The 3rd pizza was the Ortolana which came with tons of different veggies - portobellos, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes I think. This one just reminded me of why Spris kicks ass - they LOAD the toppings. The other places we ate at were tough to really sample because the toppings were scattered in various pockets of the pizza. Spris had awesome "topping management" with zero sample slices going without some "meat" on them. The only pizza that was a bust here, and it was a total crapshoot to begin with, was the Frutti di Mare pizza. Chewy calamari and other shellfish just doesnt mix well with an oven and a pizza for me. Just way too chewy. Overall, Spris still gets an "A" in my book for their pizza and another "A" for people watching on a busy section of Lincoln Road.

As we "crawled" from joint to joint, I kept going back to Round 1... Did I really like Pizzavolante that much better than Joeys? I was having 2nd thoughts. I may have to return to both again. I remember the pie at PV with the guanciale being the winner of the night for me, but I did like Joey's crust and thought their pies were somewhat creative even if they didnt do it for me flavor wise. Now with Spris in the mix, Im not sure which I like best. I can say this though, that Carbonara and Patata e Panchetta pizza at Spris are tough to beat for me. I dont think anything I had elsewhere measured up really. Nice thin, crispy crust and plenty o' toppings at a good price. I guess I just made up my mind. Spris is the winner for me so far. Mr. 2top says Casale is incredible though so Im looking forward to its opening and the next crawl.

*I missed Part 2 of the pizza crawl which ventured north to Anthony's Coal Fired, Racks, and Pizza Fusion. Though the gang at the crawl said Racks was pretty awesome, I cant really say I care to even include it. I dont consider that area part of Miami (its Aventura) and I'll never travel that far for a pizza unless its covered in $100 bills and served by nude Playmates.

Im a crappy blogger...

I really try to maintain a blog, I really do. I read a lot of different blogs and I really applaud everyone for their efforts in coming up with material for others to digest on a daily or weekly basis. Actually, I find that a lot of the time I dont make my own posts because Ive already contributed a lengthy post of my own in the comment section on another blog haha. I also applaud those who have an actual theme and stick to it because clearly I am incapable of doing the same. After reading a recent post by Rick over at SFDB about why people like blogging, I came to terms with the fact that Im not a blogger but more of a journal-er or maybe a combo of the two. A journablogger.

My blog really has no rhyme or reason to it, it just merely exists. Even the name of this blog makes no sense. I just had it as my username (which came about from a line in a Blind Melon song and my occasional lack of a "brain editing room") so thats what I thought to name it because in the beginning I had no idea really what blogging was or what I was gonna do. I guess I just wanted an outlet for creativity. This is a place where I can bitch about stuff that annoys me, where I can clear my head when it is overflowing with thought, where I can post about things that I find to be pretty cool with the hopes that others enjoy as well, where I can write about a recent meal with the hopes that it helps a business owner capture more customers.

That pretty much defines the person I am, with that definition being that I have no definition. I am not a straight line. I absorb an inordinate amount of useless knowledge. Well, I wouldnt call it "useless" but rather obscure. Much like Seinfeld, my life is a show about nothing. Yet all of these little bits of info that I learn, I enjoy. They amuse me and because of that I like to share them with others with the hopes that they benefit in some way, be it a laugh, a good meal, or a fast track thru the security line at an airport. My friends all know that Im quite a clown and love to make people laugh, mostly at my own expense. Im always looking for a way to help people too. Its just how I am. Unfortunately, while I may have a lot of initial inspiration for a blog post, it fades rather quickly and I dont end up putting forth the final effort to post it. Im trying though.

I guess the point of this post is much like the point of this blog and that is that there is none. Or maybe its that Im not a real blogger? I really dont know. What I do know is that I enjoy writing and I enjoy reading others' blogs and Im thankful for the people who take the time to not only post but to also read my babbling.

Blog on witcha bad selfs!

Above the Law

Its amazing what being a "celebrity" means in this country. I learn more and more everyday. I have learned that it's OK to drink and drive if you're a celebrity because you wont end up with any jail time, just maybe some community service. Ive learned that it's OK to cheat on your taxes because that money isn't as important and the government will let you off, especially if they've enjoyed one of your action movies. Just last week, I learned that it's not only OK to drink and drive but it's also OK if your drinking and driving results in the death of a random pedestrian because that pedestrian's life isnt worth more than a few months of jail time if you can catch a football. Well, whattaya know? I just learned more today! I learned that it's ok to beat the crap out of a defenseless woman, to bruise and scratch her face, and to almost choke her to death because all you will have to do is pick up trash for a few months to show you're sorry if you've scored a record deal before.

All of these things make me angry, especially the last one. I'm angry because if this were me or anyone I know, we'd be locked up for sure. We would have our drivers licenses lost, our jobs lost, our reputations ruined, and our lives completely altered forever. It's days like this where I thank our justice system for coming down hard on Mike Vick just to prove that they do actually apply the law to some rich celebrity folk.

Free Pussy!

No, this is not a solicitation for free sex. 5 Kittens are available for adoption.

My friend texted me this morning to ask me to post that her boyfriend, who works at Pet Supermarket, arrived at work to open up his store and found a bucket with 5 kittens inside waiting for him. I dont have any images of these little felines yet, but if you would like a free kitty, please email me at blindmind13@yahoo.com and I will give you a number to call. As soon as I get some pics I will post them.

Prediciting the Hurricanes and more!

Well, with hurricane season officially underway and with Rick at SFDB refusing to bring the ol' SotP Hurricane Pool back to life, Ive decided to take matters into my own hands. Thats right, Im putting this beast on my shoulders and giving all you folks the opportunity to play weatherman/woman, you know, just like they do on TV.

To submit an entry, just comment here with a the date you think we will have our 1st named hurricane AND the name that you think it will be know as (see list below). The winner will be the person who makes their prediction the closest to the 1st date an actual named hurricane makes its debut. In the case of a tie, the first tiebreaker will be the name of the hurricane. If Suzy says September 7 "Ana" and Bob says September 11 "Stan" and we get our first named hurricane on September 9 named "Ana", Suzy wins. In the event that the name isnt guessed correctly by 2 people who have tied, the winner will be decided by who's date is closer without going past. For example, if Suzy says September 7 "Ana" and Bob says September 11 "Stan" and the 1st hurricane is named on the 9th as "Joaquin", Bob wins.

This contest will be all in good fun. Winner will bear the title of Most Awesomest Hurricane Predicter That All Must Bow Down To And Praise. I'll even post it on my sidebar, how about that? BUT WAIT! Correctly guessing the date and the name of our first hurricane is pretty freakin amazing so if that happens, I'll cough up a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice AND you still get the title of Most Awesomest Hurricane Predicter That All Must Bow Down To And Praise. Sound better? I thought so.

Entries must be received by June 15th to qualify. After that, yer beat.

Here is this list of possible hurricane names for 2009:
Ana
Bill
Claudette
Danny
Erika
Fred
Grace
Henri
Ida
Joaquin
Kate
Larry
Mindy
Nicholas
Odette
Peter
Rose
Sam
Teresa
Victor
Wanda

Also, did you know that there are 6 lists of names that are rotated in/out each year? There is also a hurricane Hall of Fame where names of the most devastating hurricanes are retired and not used again because doing so could be considered insensitive. Guess we'll never see another Katrina...

Oh, and if youre wondering what the "and more!" in the title of this post meant...

This was my 100th post!

JUST CHARGE ME ALREADY!!!

Why is it that some businesses take so long to push thru the transactions when you make a credit card purchase at their establishment? This is so effing annoying to me. Why? Well, I like to pay off my entire credit card balance each month and I like to track how much that payment is each month. When businesses take forever to push the purchase thru, the transaction isnt recorded on my account when I want to pay my bill and thus jumps over to the next month. Since Citibank is lame and wont let me pay more than my current balance, even when I know charges are out there waiting to be added, there is nothing I can do.

There are 2 reasons this annoys me:

1.) I have been spending a shitload of money this year. Probably about double what I spent last year on a monthly basis. Sure, Im having way more fun but Im trying to get myself back into saving mode as I have a few things Id like to save for. When charges get carried over to the next month, I dont get to "start fresh" with a chance at keeping my card spending low for that month by starting with a zero balance. Its a mental thing I guess and something thats not easy to explain. Just one of my many quirks.

2.) As a business owner, wouldnt you want your money as fast as you could get it? I just made about $400 in purchases since last Tuesday. NONE of these have shown up on my card yet. One was from an online retailer. The other was a restaurant here in Miami. The online guy has shipped my order and Ive already eaten the food from the restaurant and crapped it out by now.

I guess I could add Citibank being lame and not letting me prepay balances that I know are on the way to the list of why this annoys me. Bank of America let me do that but they dont give me AA miles for my purchases. Instead they have a lame reward program so it was bye bye to BoA. This may be the first case of someone wanting to be charged for goods and services but, unless the transactions have been forgotten or wiped clean, Id like to be charged. Dammit.

Losing Its Luster

I travel a lot for a living. My schedule can have me away from Miami just about every other week, sometimes weekly, for anywhere from 2 to 10 days at a time. As a result, I spend a lot of time in airports and on airplanes.

For the most part, I really enjoy it. Whenever Im traveling I am on the company's dime so its easier for me to save money. In Miami, I need to pay to feed myself and fight the temptation to go out all the time, a battle that I usually lose. I also get to see and experience the sights, sounds, and history of my country. A lot of people have never left their home states. Ive been to 39 of the 50 states in the USA* and hope to knock off a few more later this year. I also get to meet new people from different walks of life which has been an awesome learning experience. The travel perks are another bonus. Ive been on some pretty sweet vacations using my airline miles to get me there and my hotel points to put a roof over my head.

The drawbacks are minimal in quantity though somewhat hefty in quality. Being on the road and living out of a suitcase kinda blows. Its not bad when youre staying in one hotel for a few days at a time because you can unpack and get comfy. Bouncing from hotel to hotel and living out of a suitcase gets tiresome though. Then coming home and having to unpack and do chores before I leave again usually leads to me being lazy and neglecting my condo which sucks cuz Im kind of a neat freak. Also, it seems that I miss out on a lot of cool events with friends because I happen to be out of town when they take place, be it a concert, beach party, or local Miami event.

The fine line has always been flying. I love to fly. I think man inventing the commercial airplane and flying passengers all over the world in a giant hunk of hollowed steel is pretty freakin awesome. Have you ever seen a plane just about to land or after its just taken off? Look at how big those suckers are! Blows my mind. Lately, however, flying has been quite daunting.

I can deal with the nuances of the airport, even Miami International which is by far the worst and most annoying airport in the country. I can deal with the ticket lines, security lines, taking off my shoes, and removing liquids and metals from my persons and baggage. I arrive anywhere between 1.5 and 2 hours early and sit quietly while waiting to board my flight.

What I cant deal with lately is the way airlines have reacted to the economic situation and how it has affected airline passengers who then affect me. With the airline industry hurting, airlines have adopted a policy of making passengers pay for checked baggage. The result - people now cram everything they can into a suitcase, or multiple suitcases, and begin the battle for overhead space. Passengers flock to the boarding area, trying to get on the plane as fast as possible to secure the most overhead space possible. Airlines allow one bag in the overhead but most asshole passengers will throw 2, sometimes 3 up there without the airlines doing anything to stop them. This really pisses me off, mainly because of the lack of consideration shown for fellow flyers. It also delays the boarding/takeoff process because there is always some poor sap that cant find overhead space and then has to have his bag checked planeside. Another thing that drives me nuts as a result of the current economic situation is how airlines have cut routes and now jam pack and oversell flights. Nothing is worse than being on a packed flight. The cabin temperature pre-takeoff gets really warm with all of those bodies in there. Plus, people are so effing inconsiderate its not even funny. I sit in the aisles and get wailed by carry-on luggage as people walk by without even offering an "excuse me" or "sorry".

My last 4 flights have really sucked due to fellow passengers being inconsiderate. First there was the parents who couldnt get their kid to stop kicking my seat to the point where I had to turn around and say, "Dont do that again." The dad finally reacted after ignoring this for 2 straight hours and got the kid to stop. Then there was the kid from India who talked loud NONSTOP for 2 straight hours on an 8am flight to Charlotte. This kid didnt take one goddamn breath. I knew his whole effing life story by the end of the flight which technically qualified me to bludgeon him to death with my luggage because he was that lame. The next flight was warm when we boarded the plane. It was a quick flight from Charlotte to Norfolk in a small plane on a nice spring morning where the air was brisk but the sun was hot. Due to the fact that we weren't moving, the air vents weren't pumping out a lot of cool air. The pilot was clearly trying to fix things but the plane kept losing power and restarting again. The guy behind me thought that if he bitched nonstop like a 2 year old to the flight attendants or pilot or anyone who would listen, that the plane would miraculously be fixed and cool off. This went on for 45 straight minutes before me and the woman next to me started talking very audibly about how much of a baby he was. The last flight was a 6 hour Miami to San Fran nightmare. Sitting in my usual seat 10D on a nonstop 8am American flight, I was feeling good. Id only gotten 3 hours of sleep but I knew I could pass out and get some more shuteye on the plane. Not so fast. I had 2 old geezer women and a big fat momma sitting behind me who made it a point to constantly raise and lower the tray table and yank down on the back of my chair while trying to get out of the row to take a leak. Why think about others' comfort? I maybe got an hour of sleep and now Im in a different timezone trying to stay awake so I will wake up on "normal" time and not be a zombie in my meetings tomorrow.

Its these things that have now got me thinking that the allure of travel is losing its luster. Ive found myself dreading trips that I normally would enjoy just because of the flights involved. Its probably just a phase where Im becoming easily irritated and suppressing it so it all boils over like it has in this rant. Another thing is that I travel so much and try to be considerate of others so I expect it even more. Its a necessary evil that puts money in my pocket so I'll suck it up and deal and hope I get back that "lovin feelin" for flying again. At least it gets me out of Miami for a little bit, a positive that cant be topped.

*In order to qualify as a "visited state", I have to actually do something there (i.e. - eat at a restaurant, go to a tourist spot, etc). Simply driving through or sitting at an airport during a layover does not count.