Let’s get something out of the way right away… Pizza is delicious.  If you don’t agree, or your are one of the unfortunate souls for whom diary or gluten is a dealbreaker, stop reading here.  

I was having a long overdue catch up dinner with a great friend the other night afterwork.  We were both kind of exhausted and didn’t have much energy to put into finding a location.   

GF:  Feel like pizza tonight?
ME:  Sounds great. 
GF:  Just cheese, no processed pepperoni.
ME:  Shrooms?  But also just cheese is good.
GF:  Cool… let’s go to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele… it’s like my new favorite place in the city, and it’s not crazy expensive. (We went to the location in Hollywood.)
ME:  Cool.  Never heard of it but it sounds delish.  (Okay, I checked out their website, they had pizza.  Checked all my boxes).
GF:  It’s that same pizza place in Naples from Eat Pray Love  (Only, just seeing this part now (I’m a bit of a scanner on the old text message chains.  Also, EPL is currently being served up to me by Netflix on the regular, and I did just nap/re-watch it the other day.)

Cut to… we get there… parking was a bit of a challenge because there were two giant events happening in the area that night (normally, you should just be able to park next door in the lot. Or better yet, take LYFT, collect the Delta miles and have that extra glass of wine!)

We had the Calamari Alla Griglia as a nibble, followed by the Margherita (double cheese).  Quick sidebar:  If the menu offers you a double cheese option… take that as a sign. Get it.

When the pizza arrived – the conversation stopped.

Neapolitan pizza has never really been my favorite – don’t get me wrong I’ll eat it – it’s pizza – UNTIL NOW.  Apparently I’ve only been eating sub-par Neapolitan pizza.  

Two slices in there was no question I was going to be finishing my half of the pizza with zero difficulty.  And, I was thinking we might need to order a second pizza. 

Three slices in… I paused long enough to suggest we get that second pizza.  GF offered to let me have the remaining extra large piece, and he’d take the small one.  (Like I said… Great Friend.)

Four slices in… there was a true mental struggle raging in my brain… I NEED more… but can I eat a whole other pizza… but I NEED more… but this type of pizza won’t really hold up for lunch.  

In a shocking twist, the reasonable part of my brain won. 

Later that night, after I’d dropped him off and made my way back to my neck of the woods…
ME: Home. Safe. Full.  And craving more pizza. 

The next day…
ME:  Seriously, I haven’t stopped thinking about that pizza
GF:  I know, right? 
ME:  It’s basically replaced my book as the thing that takes up all my brain space.  (My book is the side project I’ve been driving all of my friends nuts talking about for 18 or so months now, they are ready for a new topic.)
GF:  We will have to go back soon.  And they are open for lunch too. 

The following day…
GF:  Okay, I ain’t gonna lie – I have been thinking of that pizza all morning.
ME:  That pizza is possessed.  Let’s go back soon.

Two days later…
I’m writing this post.  If you haven’t already made reservations… what are you doing????

And, maybe I’ll see you there… cause I’m moving in.